WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man had no anti-abortion motives when he brought a small homemade explosive device into a women’s health clinic while applying for a job, police said Tuesday.
The 19-year-old was homeless and carrying everything he owned in his backpack when he went to the South Wind Women’s Center for a Monday interview, Wichita police spokesman James Espinosa said.
A security officer at the clinic, one of three in Kansas that provide abortions, searched the backpack and called police after finding knives and a small bottle with gunpowder inside and a fuse. The building was briefly evacuated.
The man was arrested on suspicion of unlawful possession of an explosive device, and the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County district attorney’s office for possible charges.
Espinosa said the police investigation had “absolutely ruled out” any intent for anti-abortion violence.
“It was just him having all his personal items,” Espinosa said.
While the device was dangerous in that it could have blown off somebody’s fingers had it gone off while they were holding it, it was too small to cause any damage to the clinic even if it had exploded, he said.
The clinic opened in 2013 in the same building where Dr. George Tiller provided abortions until an anti-abortion opponent shot and killed him in his church in 2009.
That building has long been the site of anti-abortion violence. Tiller also was shot and wounded in both arms there in 1993 by an abortion opponent, and his clinic sustained heavy damage when it was bombed in 1996.
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Just as innocent as carrying a gun into the US Capitol, I guess. What might be a legitimate purpose for a small bottle of gunpowder with a fuse anyway, even in Kansas?
Apparently the guy had something akin to a firecracker in his backpack. He was a homeless guy looking for a job. The backpack had everything he owned. I understand this is women’s clinic but not everything is sinister.
I’m surprised TPM didn’t weave the Donald into this piece.
I really can’t think of any reason–other than a sinister one–to carry explosives in your knapsack. Homeless or not. He may not have been going after the clinic, but…
Donald made him do it…I know!