Possible Explosive Device Rendered Safe by Bomb Squad

Incident:                                      Homemade Explosive Device

Date and Time of Release:              January 14, 2011 / 1:30 pm

At about 10:00 am on Friday morning, 01/14/11, Arcadia Police Officers were called to Foothills Middle School, 171 E. Sycamore in Arcadia, regarding a suspicious person on the campus who tried to open up several classrooms.  The reporting party saw the suspicious person walk away from the campus and towards a nearby Bank of America on Foothill Boulevard.  The subject left a backpack in the bushes near the bank then ran through the parking lot where Officers detained him. 

Officers located the backpack and found inside what appeared to be a homemade explosive device.  Arcadia Officers evacuated nearby businesses and placed Foothills Middle School on lockdown as a precaution.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad was called and responded to assess the suspicious device.  The LASD Bomb Squad detonated the device and rendered it safe.  The lockdown of the Middle School was lifted around 1:15 pm and businesses were re-opened.

A male adult is in custody and being detained at the Arcadia Police Department, pending further investigation.

For additional information, please contact the Arcadia Police Department at 626-574-5150.   

Robert P. Sanderson, Chief of Police

By:     Colleen Flores, Lieutenant

Refer Case #11-240