Flashlight bombs found in Arizona

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Forget Iraq or Afghanistan IED's are showing up in Phoenix and Glendale Arizona.

Three bombs planted in flashlights.

Left in public places suggest a serial bomber is -- -- -- -- he was hurt by one of those bombs Thomas at a -- -- -- special agent in charge for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

Thanks for being with us tonight guys.

On Jim Allen gonna start with you hop you -- the bombers first.

Victim what happened.

We had attended an auction my mother and I.

And to.

There was a Flash Player left out behind a couple of palm trees.

And I picked it up.

And as soon as I hit the button and it exploded in my hands why did you pick up the flashlight.

It didn't seem out of place -- usual -- thing.

I looked at -- night well this is and I -- it you know it appeared to being you know.

Nothing about it seemed unusual.

All right so you pick up the flashlight.

And what do you do next what happens next.

I look at it and I wonder does it work.

And so I kind of looked at it and I pasted away from me and I pushed the button and that's when it exploded.

And the -- who were injured you're standing with your mother were -- not.

Yes Iowa -- she is about three to four feet away from me and you was she injured as well.

Yes -- she was hit with.

Contents of the flashlight.

And got some minor cuts and bruising as well and that what injuries did you sustain -- I had large -- over my hands.

And just minor little cuts -- -- -- All right and how you doing now.

I'm doing fine now who do it what is the mood in the area where you -- you know.

I don't know I think it's about the same meeting could learn a little higher alert but.

You know it's.

Don't pick up anything you know that's the word going around.

Right.

Thank you Janelle as agent at a Barry how sophisticated bomb can be placed in a flashlight.

-- any intention thank you for bringing us to the public's attention.

These devices.

I would not say are real sophisticated but I would also add that they're not crude pipe bombs either.

There is a level of sophistication.

And circuitry.

In these devices.

But what bombers are only limited by their imagination.

And their skills.

And as special agent is there anything about the components in these three bombs -- authority gone off.

That in some way -- can identify a the bomber.

All three of the devices judge.

Have been the same.

You know we are working very closely.

-- -- don't police department Phoenix police department.

And the FBI.

ATF is leading the investigation we've submitted all the evidence to our laboratory.

And they're expediting the case.

As far as the contents.

And -- component tree in the case for the integrity of the case I really -- into that but there are some unique components.

That have been placed in this improvised explosive device disguises flashlight.

Okay now -- they.

One bomb goes off on the thirteenth of may the next on the fourteenth of may and then the next on May 24 it's been just over two weeks what do you think the bombers doing now.

It's hard to say no he's not building any more bombs but what we've tried to stop.

Well.

I don't know the answer to that -- that would be pure speculation on my part but what we have done.

As we -- flooded media.

Here in the Phoenix valley to bring it to the attention.

All the citizens.

Of the area the children -- out of school now.

In the last thing that we want to happen is for a child or an innocent victim.

To pick up a flashlight that doesn't belong to them and turn on and lose.

-- hand or an arm or something like that.

The challenge with this case judge is not of these.

Devices have been targeted towards individuals or businesses or corporations or anything there's been randomly -- And that's very concerning.

To -- yet working these types of cases -- of.

Course and you know -- one at the salvation army of all places but.

How has this impacted law enforcement in your area and and I have to -- congratulate you I think that that billboard that you did on that it flashlight equals the bomb.

Is fantastic but how does this impact in law enforcement.

Well it is impacting law enforcement because they're getting a lot of post calls.

Where they're finding people are finding these devices are these flashlights.

That are similar to the devices that -- -- ITT's.

And the -- what has to go out there.

And you know make sure it's not a -- -- device but at the end of the day it's better to be safe than sorry I would urge the public.

And they're good people of Arizona.

That it if you see your flashlight.

And it's not viewers and it's out of place.

It's better to be safe than sorry.

We have flooded the media we have worked very closely with CBS outdoors they've been good partners and put electronic billboards all through the valley.

To bring this to the attention.

To the citizens but also -- there's somebody out there.

That knows what these people are doing when they're building these devices on this individual -- pick up the phone calls.

Terrific all right.

Agent at a very and Janelle thanks so much for being with us this evening.

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Flashlight bombs found in Arizona

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