Police respond to suspicious car parked outside FBI's South Side office

Authorities say a suspicious car found parked outside the FBI headquarters in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood early Thursday did not pose a threat to the public.

FBI spokeswoman Catherine Policicchio said that car had non-threatening “gibberish-type language” written in spray paint on driver’s side door.

A tweet from Tribune-Review news partner WPXI shows the message that reads, “RUSSIA PLANTS MICRORADIO DEVICES IN PPLS EARS & CONTROLS THEM USING A SOUND SIMILAR TO A DOG WHISTLE. SUBLIMINAL HYPNOSIS.”

Pittsburgh police K-9 units and the city’s bomb squad were dispatched to assist with the investigation, which was reported shortly before 5 a.m.

Policicchio said someone drove an orange car up to the gate of the building, which is located in the 3300 block of East Carson Street. That person parked it, got out, and left. The gate is locked, Policicchio said.

There are two entrances to the FBI headquarters. Guards stationed at the other entrance saw the car and contacted authorities, she said.

“Shortly after that our guards noticed the car at the back gate and alerted our security professionals and made sure that the proper protocols were filed so that we could get everybody here to figure out what was going on with this vehicle,” Policicchio said.

She said the FBI is looking for the driver of the car.

At no point was there a threat to the public, she said.

“There were no initial indications that there was any concern for public safety, but out of an abundance of precaution we did alert the Propel schools and the Center for Victim Services here next to us as well as the Steelers facility,” she said. “All of them cooperated and as far as we know everything for them resumed normally at their normal hour.”

Policicchio said the FBI is reviewing surveillance footage. The car will be towed for evidence.

“We take all of these situations very seriously. We can’t let our guard down through any of this,” she said. “We always have to make sure that we investigate fully and that we know what’s inside those cars.”

Tony LaRussa and Madasyn Lee are Tribune-Review staff writers. You can contact Tony at 724-772-6368, tlarussa@tribweb.com or via Twitter @TonyLaRussaTrib. You can contact Madasyn at 724-226-4702, mczebiniak@tribweb.com or via Twitter @MLeeTrib.