JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Four hours after an item "made to look threatening" was spotted in a SUV parked at the McDonalds at the intersection of Eighth and Davis streets, the bomb squad determined the object was not explosive.

The McDonald's restaurant and neighboring Walgreen's pharmacy across from Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center were evacuated about 1:30 p.m. About an hour later, about 1,400 students from Darnell-Cookman Middle School were walked to St. Stephen AME Church at Fifth and Davis streets, where parents and buses picked up at normal the normal dismissal time.

"Due to the suspicious device that was located, the bomb squad was called out," said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Melissa Bujeda told the media about 3:15 p.m.

Eighth Street and some side streets were closed to traffic and police blocked the exits from Interstate 95 onto Eighth. All roads except a small stretch of Davis Street were reopened just before 5 p.m.

Bujeda would not comment on the nature of the object that raised the suspision, but said police could not find the owner of the vehicle and they investigated the device as a precaution.

School officials emphasized that the students were safe and there never a threat to the school. Duval County schools spokeswoman Jill Johnson said St. Stephen is the school's established alternative release site.

Parents who picked up their children told Channel 4 that they were inconvenienced by the alternate location, but not worried by what happened.

"As a parent, you don't want it to happen. I'm glad that the school has taken the precautions necessary," Foy Smathers said. "I'm anxious and nervous, but glad to be here. I trust the officials that are in charge of them and think whatever call they had to make, they made the right one."

At 5 p.m., police were still investigating who left the object in the vehicle and who owned the SUV, which Channel 4 was told had been parked there for several days. They said criminal charges were possible.

"It's still on ongoing investigation," Bujeda said.