A portion of Waller Park in Santa Maria was blocked off on Sunday morning as police investigated a suspicious package left in the park.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office reported at 11:21 a.m. that deputies from the Santa Maria Police Department had shut down Waller Lane and the northwest side of the park to investigate the package.

Community members were told to avoid the area during the investigation.

By 12:45, the agency said the suspicious package was determined to be an abandoned bag.

The area has been reopened to the public.

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