Breaking: Arrest is made in Oregon bank bombing
Reporting from Seattle — Police arrested a suspect Sunday in the Oregon bank bombing that killed two officers and critically wounded a police chief.
Authorities declined to release the identity of the suspect or the circumstances of the arrest until today, saying only that the suspect was detained Sunday evening in the area of Salem, the capital of Oregon.
No motive for the Friday bombing in Woodburn, about 30 miles south of Portland, has been revealed. But shortly before authorities announced the arrest they released photos of a 30- to 40-year-old bearded man “believed associated with key events” in the case.
Authorities said at least one subject of the investigation was in Bend, in central Oregon, and had purchased cellphones and other items last month thought to have been used in manufacturing the explosive device.
Police said the same subject was also thought to have “taken actions in furtherance of his plan” on Thursday and Friday in Salem and in Woodburn.
“The arrest was the result of an intensive round-the-clock investigation by an interagency task force comprised of federal, state, county and city public safety agencies,” Russ Isham, Marion County sheriff, said in a statement. “We know there is still a lot of hard work ahead of us, but this development will help bring relief to the local communities and the officers’ families.”
A Wells Fargo Bank branch in Woodburn, a town of 22,000 people between Portland and Salem, received a threat by phone Friday morning, prompting an evacuation of the bank.
Officers found a device at the bank but determined it was not dangerous. Another suspicious device was found outside West Coast Bank, next door to the Wells Fargo branch.
That bank was evacuated, and the device was moved inside, where it exploded at 5:24 p.m. Authorities have not explained why the device was moved inside.
The explosion killed Woodburn Police Capt. Tom Tennant, 51, a 28-year veteran of the department, and Oregon State Trooper William Hakim, 51, a bomb disposal expert.
Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell, 46, was critically injured.
Police were offering a $35,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Police set up a tip line at (888) 780-5678.
Murphy is a Times staff writer.
I really wonder what possessed these geniuses to bring this “suspicious device” inside the building. This is possibly just what the bomber was hoping for.
Comment by Tim Keseluk — December 15, 2008 @ 11:31 am