Neal Augenstein, wtop.com
STAFFORD, Va. – Federal, state and local investigators are looking for a man who is suspected of targeting three people with pipe bombs.
Law enforcement sources tell WTOP the man exploded a device at his girlfriend’s home, as well as at the home of a Stafford County Sheriff detective and the home of another deputy’s family member.
A SWAT team and investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Stafford Sheriff’s Department, and Virginia State Police searched a trailer home on Crater Lane Tuesday.
Rich Marianos, special agent in charge, of the Washington field division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and ExplosivesMarianos declined to name the suspect, but says a “full court press” is underway in the Washington Metropolitan area for the man.
He says investigators may soon release the man’s identity.
“If we’re unsuccessful we’re going to ask the public to help us locate the offender,” Marianos says.
Investigators recovered papers, but no explosives at the empty home.
The targeted detective and deputy had been involved in previous arrests of the suspect.
Marianos says “It appears, in frustration, this individual had detonated three different pipe bombs in order to subvert the investigation and stop the Sheriff’s office from any kind of pursuit.”
He says there were no injuries.
“We’ve been very blessed that nobody’s been hurt. It’s just property damage,” Marianos says. “But we have three detonations which causes a great deal (of risk to) public safety and concern.”
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