Man charged for allegedly detonating device outside Alabama attorney general's office
(NEW YORK) — Federal authorities have arrested a man accused of detonating an explosive device outside the office of the Alabama attorney general in late February.
Kyle Calvert, 26, of Irondale, Alabama, was arrested Wednesday on charges of malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device, according to the Department of Justice.
The device was set off on Feb. 24 at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside the Montgomery office of Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, authorities said. No one was injured and the contents of the exploded device were only discovered by staffers from the attorney general’s office when they arrived at work the next morning, authorities said.
Agents who recovered the exploded materials determined the device came in a coffee container-like vessel and was packed with gasoline, a mortar, firecrackers and nails “to increase its destructive capability,” according to court filings.
The FBI pulled surveillance footage from around the area that showed the subject placing stickers around Montgomery before planting the explosive device, according to court filings. One of the stickers read “Support your local antifa” while others included phrases such as “EAT THE RICH,” “FEMINIST ACTION” and “ABOLISH ICE,” according to the filings.
Investigators later tracked down Calvert through a vehicle the subject was seen in prior to and after the incident, according to the filings. They also compared surveillance footage of Calvert from a prior employer to the footage of the subject captured at the scene and saw both had a similar “unique gait,” the filings stated. Calvert also posted a photo to social media wearing goggles that were “identical” to ones worn by the subject who detonated the explosives, according to the filings.
Calvert allegedly posted about his “violent impulses” and his frustrations with the government on social media, according to the filings. “How the f— are we not killing the government right now!” Calvert reportedly said in a video posted on Dec. 12, 2023, according to the filings.
Investigators also spoke to a more recent employer of Calvert, who reported he was exhibiting “strange behavior” at work, according to the filings.
Calvert was taken into custody on Wednesday following a grand jury indictment. He will be represented by a federal defender though online records do not list the name of an attorney. ABC News left a message with the Federal Defenders for the Middle District of Alabama.
If convicted, Calvert faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, according to the DOJ.
A possible motive has not been released.
“Thanks to the work of the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners, this defendant is being held accountable for allegedly detonating an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for acts of violence targeting those who serve the public.”
The Alabama attorney general expressed relief at news of the arrest.
“Although more information will be provided in the weeks to come, I think it is safe to say that this was not a random act of violence,” Marshall said in a statement. “We are grateful to our federal and local partners for their assistance in this matter and are pleased that the offender faces federal charges carrying significant prison time.”
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