Police and federal agents are investigating an explosion that took place on a small bridge in Bedford, a suburb of northern Texas located between Dallas and Fort Worth.
No one was hurt and officials believe the incident was not targeted. The explosion was heard by several locals nearby who called 911 immediately.
Police discovered another “suspicious item” when they arrived at the scene. The bridge was quickly closed to traffic and the item was “destroyed via a controlled detonation,” according to police.
A male suspect “in connection with detonating an unknown explosive device” has been arrested, police said Thursday. His identity has not been released.
Speaking to Newsweek, Anthony Hocker, a patrol officer for the Bedford Police Department, said: “We do not currently have reason to believe there are additional devices, and we currently do not have insight into the suspect’s possible motives as of yet.”
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of the U.S. Department of Justice are assisting the Bedford Police Department with the investigation.
Speaking to Newsweek, an ATF public information officer said: “On Wednesday evening ATF was called to the scene to assist Bedford PD. FBI were also called to the scene. The case is still ongoing. Bedford PD is the lead agency.”
A public affairs officer for the FBI Dallas Division told Newsweek: “FBI Dallas Field Office did provide assistance [Wednesday] to Bedford Police on this incident” and referred Newsweek to Bedford Police for the latest updates on the investigation.
Bedford Police said in a statement Thursday: “Around 3 a.m., the Bedford SWAT team took custody of a male suspect without incident who was wanted in connection with detonating an unknown explosive device near a drainage culvert under Forest Ridge Drive just before 5 p.m. yesterday, April 7.”
While federal agents conducted the initial investigation of the incident, police said a “suspicious item was located near the initial scene, which was later destroyed via a controlled detonation via the Northeast Fire Department Association Explosive Response Team, around 10:30 p.m. last night.
“This is an ongoing investigation. Additional information will be released, when appropriate,” it added.
Forest Ridge Drive, between L. Don Dodson and Bedford Road, will remain closed until an engineer has determined the roadway is safe for vehicles, police said Thursday.
The initial investigation led police to the Logan Apartments on Sierra Springs Drive, which is within walking distance from the bridge, NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
A SWAT team escorted a man out of an apartment there early Thursday morning, according to video footage captured by NBC Dallas-Fort Worth’s cameras.
Other recent explosion incidents
Last December in Tennessee, at least three people were hospitalized after an “intentional” explosion on Christmas morning in Nashville. The downtown area where the blast happened was largely empty due to the Christmas holiday, Mayor John Cooper told reporters at the time.
Police said at the time “This appears to have been an intentional act” and closed the downtown streets as the investigation continued.
In early March this year, an explosion caused damage to a COVID-19 testing center in Bovenkarspel, a small Dutch town just north of Amsterdam, in what police suspected was an intentional attack. The blast shattered five windows but no one was injured, police said at the time.
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