FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Police evacuated an area covering about half a block in downtown Fargo after a coffee shop owner found what looked like a computer with wires running to a mannequin's head. The area bomb squad checked the item and found it harmless.

Nancy Nerland, who owns the Moxie Java coffee shop, found the item behind her store early Monday morning, police said. Sgt. Mike Bernier said authorities were erring on the side of caution, and they called in the Red River Valley bomb squad. Surrounding businesses and a few apartment buildings were evacuated.

Lt. Joel Vettel said the bomb squad hit the suspicious device with powerful jets of water, and an examination showed it was harmless.

He said another mannequin's head was found a half-block away, at the state's only abortion clinic, jammed on an exhaust pipe, and a third mannequin's head was found outside one of the federal buildings.

Federal officials have joined the investigation to find out who is responsible.

"What the person's intent in doing that was, we do not know at this point. Obviously, it was alarming to at least one person, if not more," Vettel said.