Pipe Bomb Incident

**copjak** · 11-03-07, 12:30 PM

LHCPD Investigating Pipe Bomb Incident
On Monday, October 29, at approximately 3:49 p.m., Lake Havasu City Police Department officers responded to a single vehicle non-injury accident in the 500 block of South McCulloch Boulevard. Upon arrival they discovered a rust colored, 1977 Chevrolet pickup truck that had apparently lost control and struck the southbound curb. Witnesses described the driver as a white male who fled the area prior to police arrival. During the investigation, officers observed what appeared to be a pipe bomb on the passenger side of the vehicle. The device looked to be a copper pipe with soldered end caps and a fuse. Officers secured the area, evacuated nine surrounding residences and called upon LHCPD Bomb Technicians. Bomb techs analyzed the device and, due to its unknown contents and chemical stability, made the decision to detonate the device in place. At approximately 6:10 p.m. Bomb Techs used C-4 plastic explosive to detonate the device. No injuries and no damage to property other than the vehicle were reported.

Above is a description of an event that took place in the town where I live. There is criticism in the handling of the situation by some residents. I feel they did the right thing, due to the fact they don't have a robot to pickup the device and place it into a containment container for transport. The closest robot is in a town 45-60 minutes away. Would it have been more prudent to call for them? I don't even know if they have a containment container to place a bomb into. I was never a bomb technician and would like to hear from those who where. Would you have done it differently with minimal equipment available?

**MacLean** · 11-03-07, 03:06 PM

Good question.

If there are any bomb techs on the board, they might be more comfy answering this over on the law enforcement only side of the board.

**Willowdared** · 11-03-07, 03:46 PM

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure they always detonate in place.

More Metro news
PUBLIC SAFETY: REGIONAL EDITION
Bomb found, detonated; I-5 closed several hours

UNION-TRIBUNE
November 3, 2007
SAN DIEGO: Sheriff's bomb-arson investigators detonated a pipe bomb that was found in a backpack on the side of Interstate 5 near La Jolla Village Drive yesterday.

The investigation caused a traffic nightmare as authorities closed the freeway in both directions for more than three hours.
Late yesterday afternoon, Oceanside police arrested Michael Buffalo, 46, who told investigators he left the pipe bomb on the right shoulder of the southbound lanes Tuesday when his car broke down.

Buffalo led officers to the device, and bomb-squad deputies pulled it down the embankment and detonated it.

“Unfortunately, we had to close the freeway, but that was the safest option,” said sheriff's bomb squad Sgt. Everard Dayrit.

The investigation began Thursday, when Oceanside police received a tip that someone was threatening to set off a bomb at the Vista Courthouse, said Oceanside police Sgt. Leonard Mata.

Officers were able to identify Buffalo as a suspect, and he volunteered to come to the police station for an interview. That's when he told them about the bomb on the side of the freeway, police said.

A search for more explosives in his Oceanside home on Dunes Place came up empty. –K.D. & A.M.

**Jks9199** · 11-03-07, 06:07 PM

In my experience, they usually detonate something right where it is. Think about it... to move it, they have to safely get it into some sort of transport vehicle that can (hopefully) safely contain the device while safely transporting it over the roads, through the community, to somewhere that they can safely detonate it. There's a lot of opportunity for something to go tragically wrong doing so.

I don't see anything wrong with the way this incident was handled. Patrol caught it, recognized the problem, took action to secure the community and let the pros deal with the potential bomb. I'd say it was pretty much textbook!

**conalabu** · 11-03-07, 08:35 PM

Explosives are weird sometimes. A good o-man can take an explosive that would create a big boom and make the thing more or less implode instead of explode. Detonate in place keeps oops down to a minimum. Amazingly enough, it seems to me that the residents of which you speak have made a great guess out of no data. Gee. That never happens.

**HudsonHawk** · 11-03-07, 10:54 PM

I just kick it. If it doesn't go off I throw it in the trash.

**Five-0** · 11-03-07, 11:00 PM

No injuries and no damage to property other than the vehicle were reported.-quote from the article

What is the problem with that outcome? This is what happens when our society gets to lawsuit happy. They look for any reason or made up mistake to take advantage of. Never mind that NO ONE WAS HURT. Lets start a community bomb squad and see how many people sign up and do a better job.

**LawnMM** · 11-03-07, 11:34 PM

Sounds textbook to me, the critical residents are idiots. You don't move explosives, especially unknown explosives, if its at all possible. They already had a good perimeter set up, just detonate in place and tow the wrecked truck, whats the problem?

**hush29** · 11-04-07, 12:01 AM

There is criticism in the handling of the situation by some residents.

Typical

**copjak** · 11-04-07, 12:27 AM

Well, I thank you all for your input. I thought it was handled well but just wanted another opinion. Again Thanks

**Willowdared** · 11-04-07, 01:22 AM

And guys, if you roll up on something like that - remember to turn off your cell phones//handi-talkies.

**Car 4** · 11-04-07, 01:22 AM

Besides which....you all got to see the asshole's truck blown up too.....what could be more fun than that? See....justice CAN be fun!!

Car 4

**MacLean** · 11-04-07, 03:37 AM

Originally Posted by PDawg

And guys, if you roll up on something like that - remember to turn off your cell phones//handi-talkies.

Big plus one there PDawg.

A note for those who use trunked 800 radios. Bear in mind that when you turn off a trunked portable, it transmits briefly to tell the zone controller it is leaving the system.

Make sure you turn that portable off well away from the scene.