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MISSOULA - Police arrested a 24-year-old man after a three hour long hazardous materials ordeal that was sparked by a suspicious package turning up in the Missoula Police Department parking lot.

Haz Mat technicians determined the package to be an ice tea container with some sort of liquid in it, but the substance wasn't a threat.

The Missoula Police Department reports the man who dropped the box later arrived on scene to confess, and was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. Police say he will be cited for the incident.

The package was found around 5 p.m. Monday, and the regional Haz Mat team as well as the Missoula city and Missoula County bomb squad were immediately assembled.

The 24-year old Missoula man who planted the box was taken in for questioning even while the Haz Mat team continued to deal with the package.

The Haz Mat process is long and careful and some officials believe residents can rest assured because of it.

"I think Missoula is very lucky to have some of the people we have, we have chemists, we have one of the best teams in the country, so I feel Missoula is very well protected," said Missoula Rural Fire Battalion Chief Tom Zeigler.

The suspicious package was laced with threatening messages written on the box. While Missoula Police would not comment on what exactly was written, one person on scene Monday night said the words "radioactive" were written on the box which naturally escalated the threat level.