3 Greenwich Village Buildings Evacuated Over Suspicious Powder

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Three buildings in Greenwich Village were evacuated Saturday, after police found a substance that looked like explosive powder in an apartment.

A police spokesman said the NYPD warrant squad went to the home to look for a woman Saturday morning in a building on 9th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues, and spotted the white substance in an ashtray. It was removed to a police firing range for analysis.

WCBS 880's Monica Miller reported the substance was identified as less than a gram of some kind of explosive.

Police said investigators also found a shotgun and two magazine clips for handguns.

Police partially blocked off the street and evacuated the buildings as a precaution.

Two people were in custody Saturday, including the woman and a male companion.

Police obtained a search warrant and were at the apartment as of Saturday afternoon. Police do not believe the crime was related to terrorism.

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