Senator's Office Evacuated After Bomb Found In Parking Lot

Police: Bomb was 'highly-explosive'

WILMINGTON, TRINTON--Authorities are still investigating after a homemade bomb was found in a parking lot outside an office belonging to Trinton senator Kelsey Frascanio (CNS).

Police are still combing through the parking lot and the surrounding neighborhood in southeast Wilmington, trying to find any clues that might help lead them to any suspects.

The explosive device, which a police spokesman described to the NPF as "highly-explosive," was found outside Frascanio's office in a cardboard box in the parking lot around 2:00 pm eastern time. The box was lying in plain view, according to police.

"This was a very, very powerful device that could have caused severe damage and considerable loss of life," Oceanview County Sheriff Luke Garrett told the media.

The office and several surrounding homes and businesses were evacuated while the Sheriff's department bomb squad handled the device. It was diffused on-scene, and later detonated at a police safe zone.

The office was closed for the rest of the day, and will remain closed, a spokeswoman for the senator said.

Police have no suspect, but are analyzing security camera footage to find any clues. They're also appealing to the public for any information.

"If anyone has any information, saw anything suspicious, heard anything suspicious, we would encourage them to come forward and let us know so that we can pursue every lead," Garrett said.

Frascanio was not at the office at the time the incident occurred, but in a written statement, said she was "relieved" no one was injured and is taking the matter "very seriously."

"I am relieved no one was injured and extremely grateful to the police officers and bomb squad members that responded to my office," she said. "This incident is frightening, and any time my staff members or constituents are in danger, I take that very seriously."

It's unclear if Wednesday's incident is related to two past incidents involving homemade pipe bombs. In September, a pipe bomb was found outside the suburban Treeton office of Congresswoman Shannon Tribe (C-MON). A week later, a similar device was discovered in a trash can outside the office of Congresswoman Jill Yateri (N-POG). No one has been arrested in those cases, and police have few clues, though the NAI and local authorities are releasing little information.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the NAI or the Oceanview County Sheriff's Department at 1-800-321-4400.