Man arrested for detonating 2 ‘explosive devices’ inside California store
California police have detained a man they believe detonated two small explosive devices inside a store in Ontario. No one was injured in the incident, but authorities had found “additional materials” inside his car.
The incident happened inside a Sam's Club store in Ontario, about 45 miles east of Los Angeles, on Thursday afternoon. Around 3:40pm, the Ontario Police Department tweeted that they responded to a possible fire and determined that “a small explosive device” was detonated inside the store.
The suspect has been identified as Hugo Gonzalez DOB 12/26/68, who lives in the City of Fontana. At this point, investigators believe that Gonzalez acted alone. pic.twitter.com/h8HegBnWJb
— Ontario Police Dept. (@OntarioPD) April 6, 2018
No one was injured, but the employees and customers were briefly evacuated from the building, and the area closed-off when police and firefighters arrived at the scene.
The suspect took police on a brief car chase, after authorities were tipped off about his vehicle description, but was quickly detained and taken for questioning.
Ontario explosion update pic.twitter.com/lW2XHythTK
— christina heller (@CHellerTVNews) April 5, 2018
Inside the suspect’s vehicle the officers reportedly discovered additional “materials”, which resembled those used in the “devices” found in the store. Authorities however, did not describe the type of explosive used, with Officer Eliseo Guerrero explaining that it was still being analyzed.
ONTARIO UPDATE: Police now say bomb-making materials, not an explosive device, were found in suspect's car after Sam's Club explosion https://t.co/IJBskAMgyYpic.twitter.com/rE7k5FOfQZ
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) April 6, 2018
Police identified the suspect as Hugo Gonzalez of Fontana and said he acted alone, and that his motives remain unclear.
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