Public Safety Blotter Articles

UPDATE: Pittsburgh Police, FBI, ATF Investigate Two Separate Explosives Incidents

Date: January 4, 2021
Incident Type: IED
Location: Zone 2
Summary:

UPDATE: Charles Baker, 33, has been charged federally in connection with the IED incident that occurred in Lawrenceville on Jan 3, 2021. Baker is charged with illegal possession of an unregistered destructive device & being a felon in possession of a destructive device.

This investigation is ongoing.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/pittsburgh-felon-charged-possession-destructive-device-after-throwing-homemade

Original incident details:

Last evening, Pittsburgh Police Zone 2 officers, the Fire Investigation Unit, and the Bomb Squad responded to two separate incidents involving explosives. 

The first incident that occurred in the 3600 block of Penn Avenue just after 9 p.m. involved an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). A parked vehicle sustained damage to its undercarriage as a result of the blast. Photographs of the suspect vehicle have been released to the media and public.

In the second incident, in the 200 block of Dinwiddie Street, the Bomb Squad responded to reports of an explosion just after 10:30 p.m. This incident is now believed to have been caused by an aerial firework. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Investigators do not believe these two incidents are related. 

Pittsburgh Police are working closely with their federal partners within the FBI and the ATF. The investigation is still in its early stages and there are no suspects or arrests at this time. Police continue to review all available camera footage and follow up on tips from the public.

If you have any information regarding either of these incidents, please call (412) 323-7800 or 9-1-1.

Original incident details:

http://pittsburghpa.gov/publicsafety/blotterview/1052

 

 


Reporting PIO:
Cara Cruz

2021-01-04
PIO@pittsburghpa.gov