On September 26th at approximately 12:25 p.m. officers responded to the 3200 block of South Edmunds Street to investigate a suspicious circumstances complaint involving a foreclosed home that reportedly contained white powder and multiple metal canisters with wires attached to them both inside the house and in the fenced-in yard.
Preliminary investigation indicates that a clean up crew contracted to clean up the house after it was repossessed by the bank arrived at the residence on Friday, September 23rd. Upon entering the house, the clean up crew noticed white powder on the floor and multiple metal canisters with wires attached to them. They also reported feeling sick after being in the house. The clean up crew reported the findings to their supervisors.
The Seattle Police Department was not contacted until approximately 12:25 p.m. on Monday, September 26th.
Out of an abundance of caution, Seattle Police Arson/Bomb Squad (ABS) detectives and the SFD Hazardous Materials Response Team responded to the scene. Due to the unknown whereabouts of the suspect and his potential dangerous intent upon returning to the scene, Seattle Police SWAT team officers responded to the scene to assist with security and to be available to apprehend the suspect.
Seattle Police ABS detectives first cleared the yard and determined that all suspicious devices were harmless. The house was then cleared and all suspicious devices inside the home were also determined to be harmless. The “white powder” was determined to be the contents from a fire extinguisher that was sprayed on the floor.
Seattle Police detectives have positively identified the 51-year-old male suspect (the former homeowner), who remains at large. There were no persons found inside the home or on the property during the incident.
This remains an active and on-going Seattle Police Arson/Bomb Squad investigation.