Woman Charged in Evanston Target Restroom Explosion

EVANSTON, IL - The explosion inside a women's restroom stall at the Evanston Target store on Wednesday was the result of someone seeking to produce a chemical high, not an attack related to the store's transgender restroom policy, according to police.

Heidi Schmidt, 44, of Chicago was arrested late Friday in connection to the explosion, which occurred at 4:08 p.m. Wednesday at the store in the 2200 block of Howard Street.

During the investigation, police say they recovered items that are "commonly combined in a method to produce a chemical high, but during the mixture process can become volatile and explode."

The blast may have initiated from a plastic bottle observed in the stall.

"There is no factual evidence that was uncovered during this investigation that points toward this incident being related to any policies of the Target store or a hate crime," police said in a statement.

MORE COVERAGE ON PATCH:

• Explosion in Evanston Target Caused by Plastic Bottle Like Device
• Woman in Custody After Explosion in Bathroom at Target

Target became part of a national discussion of restroom access for transgender people when they announced a policy that allows anyone to use the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity.

Law enforcement identified Schmidt as having been the person in the stall during the time of the explosion through video footage and witness accounts. Schmidt was not injured in the incident and left the scene prior to police arrival.

She was later charged with one count of aggravated arson and one count of unlawful possession of an explosive or incendiary device.