Explosives examined
2 juveniles suspected in investigation of incident at Westwood apartment
By Richard Clough
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
rclough@media.ucla.edu Los Angeles Police Department officials said Tuesday that two juvenile suspects are being sought in connection with the incident involving an explosive device found Oct. 7 on the 500 block of Midvale Avenue.
Officials also said police consider the suspects to pose no threat and their actions as tantamount to "some kids playing around," said Sgt. Katherine Plows of the LAPD.
Authorities would not say whether the suspects are believed to be UCLA students or if they have any UCLA ties.
Responding to a call made at 11:13 a.m. Friday, authorities arrived at 527 Midvale Ave. to find an improvised explosive device made from two M-80 fireworks taped together, Plows said.
One of the fireworks was detonated but the other was a dud, she said. M-80s are illegal in the United States.
Though several residents said they heard a small explosion sometime between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m. that morning, the police were not called until a resident found the device several hours later in the open-air courtyard within the Midvale Plaza apartment complex.
The LAPD bomb squad inspected and detonated the device shortly after 1 p.m. Friday.
While the bomb squad was working, a portion of Midvale Avenue around the building was closed to vehicular and pedestrian access, but no buildings were evacuated.
Residents of nearby buildings said they were aware of the incident taking place, but most said they did not feel afraid or threatened.
Authorities were not available to give updates on the case over the weekend or on Monday due to the Columbus Day holiday. Early reports from the LAPD on Tuesday indicated that two suspects may have been taken into custody, but those reports were later refuted.
Though FBI vehicles were on the scene, Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI, said the FBI was not involved with any investigation into the incident.