Washington DC explosions – latest: Nation’s capital on edge as new photos show suspect wanted for attacks
Nike, Safeway, and Truist Bank all targeted with explosions within 15 minutes of each other on Sunday morning
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Police have released additional photos of a suspect on the run after three explosions took place in Washington, DC over the weekend in what appears to be targeted attacks on businesses.
An ATM, a Nike store, and a Safeway grocery store were all struck by explosions starting at about 4.30am on Sunday.
Police are on the lookout for a vehicle used in the explosions.
The attacks all occurred within 15 minutes, with the first taking place when the suspect blew up an ATM outside Truist Bank in the 2300 block of Washington Place.
After leaving the scene in the car, the suspect detonated a second explosion at 4.36am at the Nike Store located in the 700 block of H Street.
Nine minutes later, a Molotov cocktail-style explosive was thrown at the Safeway grocery store on the 300 block of 40th Street before the suspect again left the scene by car.
No injuries have been reported and the Metropolitan Police has said that the suspect didn’t appear to have been targeting the public as the explosions took place at closed businesses.
Three Washington DC businesses targeted with explosive devices as hooded suspect on loose
Explosive devices were detonated outside three businesses in Washington DC in the early hours of Sunday, according to law enforcement.
The devices exploded outside stores within 15 minutes of each other, according to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The first attack occurred around 4.30am when the suspect detonated an explosive device on the sidewalk outside of the ATM attached to the Truist Bank on the 2300 block of Washington Place.
Moments later – at around 4.36am – another device was detonated outside a Nike store in the 700 block of H Street.
After fleeing the scene in a car, a nearby Safeway grocery store was hit with a “Molotov cocktail-style object” at around 4.45am, police said.
Read more:
Explosive devices detonated in Washington DC
Metropolitan Police released surveillance images of the suspect – dressed in black trousers and a white/cream hooded top – as well as a vehicle wanted in connection to the attacks
A DC Nike store, Safeway and ATM were targeted with explosives. Now the hunt is on to catch a hooded suspect
In the dead of the night over July 4 weekend, explosives were detonated one by one across three businesses in Washington DC.
First, an ATM was targeted. Then a nearby Nike store was damaged. And, lastly, a Safeway supermarket was struck.
The attack has left the nation’s capital on edge and perplexed as to who the perpetrator or perpetrators is and what their motive may be.
Now, the hunt is on to track down a mystery hooded figure and a suspect vehicle.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about bomb-like attacks on Washington DC Nike store, Safeway and ATM
Metropolitan Police are hunting for a hooded figure and suspect vehicle after explosive devices were detonated one by one across three Washington DC businesses. Rachel Sharp reports
DC Police asking public for help identifying suspect
DC Police are asking the public for help identifying the suspect after three explosions rocked the US capital on Sunday morning.
‘I saw glass shattered so I originally thought someone had shot at the bank'
The businesses were closed at the time of the incident and no one was injured. MPD said in a statement that the perpetrators appeared to have targeted commercial establishments, but not members of the public.
Metropolitan Police released surveillance images of the suspect – dressed in black trousers and a white/cream hooded top – as well as a vehicle wanted in connection to the attacks.
The vehicle is a gold or champagne-coloured Acura TL with Maryland licence plate 17971CK.
Pictures shared by 32-year-old DC resident Amanda Koski on Twitter showed damage to one of the targeted structures.
“The noise woke me up. I have PTSD so when it happened, I kind of froze up and originally I thought it was gunshots. When I looked through my window, I saw glass shattered so I originally thought someone had shot at the bank,” Ms Koski told The Independent.
Ms Koski, who works as a political consultant, lives in the apartments above the Truist Bank.
She said the neighbourhood was eerily quiet before MPD and the fire department arrived at the scene.
The attacks
The series of attacks all took place within a 15-minute period in the early hours of Sunday morning – a time when the streets of the city were deserted.
At around 4.30am, the unidentified suspect detonated an explosive device on the sidewalk outside of the ATM at the Truist Bank in the 2300 block of Washington Place.
After fleeing the scene in a vehicle, the suspect struck a second time – this time targeting the Nike Store located in the 700 block of H Street.
At 4.36am, the device was detonated on the sidewalk in front of the store doors before the suspect again fled the scene by car.
Just nine minutes later, the same suspect allegedly threw a “Molotov cocktail style object” at the Safeway store on the 300 block of 40th Street.
The suspect fled in the scene in a vehicle.
All three locations were damaged by the explosions but no injuries were reported.
Metropolitan Police Department said that, in each of the attacks, the suspect targeted commercial establishments which were all closed at the time and does not appear to have been targeting members of the public.
DC residents in fear
A political consultant who lives lives in the apartments above the Truist Bank spoke of her terror as the explosive device detonated outside the ATM below as she slept.
Amanda Koski told The Independent: “The noise woke me up. I have PTSD so when it happened, I kind of froze up and originally I thought it was gunshots.
“When I looked through my window, I saw glass shattered so I originally thought someone had shot at the bank.”
She said the neighbourhood was eerily quiet after the blast, before police and fire officials arrived on the scene.
The 32-year-old shared photos of the damage on social media.
$20,000 reward for information leading to arrest
Metropolitan Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division are seeking the public’s help in identifying suspects and the vehicle involved.
A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of the individual or individuals behind the Sunday attacks.
Anyone who may have any information about these incidents, to include video or photos from any of the offense location are encouraged to call MPD at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.
‘It shook my living room. It knocked all of my security cameras off the wall'
A resident who lives above the Truist Bank told NBC Washington that he was “rattled” by the blast.
“It shook my living room. It knocked all of my security cameras off the wall. It knocked my pictures off the wall. It pretty much rattled me,” he said.
The windows of the bank were boarded up on Sunday and the Nike store also had to be closed.
A customer, Nour Hasan, told NBC: “It’s frightening, right? I don’t know what it is, if it’s a firework or something like that, but it’s definitely concerning.”
ANC 6C Commissioner Patricia Eguino told the outlet: “I am very much appalled by the incidents. I find it unsettling.”
Mystery hooded suspect
Hours after the incidents, Metropolitan Police released surveillance images of the suspect as well as a vehicle wanted in connection to the attacks.
The suspect was dressed in black trousers and a white/cream hooded top.
The vehicle is a gold or champagne-coloured Acura TL with Maryland licence plate 17971CK.
The Metropolitan Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect or suspects.
A reward of up to $20,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest.
Anyone who may have any information about these incidents, to include video or photos from any of the offense location are encouraged to call MPD at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.