Pipe Bomb Found On Patient Rushed By Ambulance To LA County Hospital

POMONA, CA — A patient rushed to a Los Angeles County Hospital by ambulance Monday night had an explosive device on them, shutting down an emergency room while a bomb squad was called in to detonate the device.

The incident at the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center remained something of a mystery Tuesday while police continued to investigate. Detectives with the Pomona Police Department have not publicly identified the patient, and they don't believe the hospital was the intended target for the pipe bomb.

Detectives were still working to identify the patient Tuesday. As of Tuesday afternoon, no arrests had been announced.

"The Pomona Police Department was able to determine that Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center was not the target of the device," said Pomona Police Department Cpl. Jason Conley. "At this time, the Pomona Police Department does not believe there was a specific target and the suspect was only in possession of the device."

The incident occurred at about 9 p.m. Monday at the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center at 1798 N. Garey Ave. where security staff discovered a PVC pipe with endcaps and a fuse on a patient brought to the hospital by ambulance from West Covina, according to a written statement by Conley.

The main entrance was closed, and emergency room patients were diverted to surrounding hospitals while the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb squad took possession of the device and disarmed it, according to Conley.

Police set up a perimeter around the hospital to investigate. In addition to identifying the patient, detectives worked Tuesday to identify the source of the bomb.

Anyone with information regarding this explosive is urged to contact the Pomona Police Department at 909-620-2085. Anonymous tips can be called into Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or submitted online at lacrimestoppers.org.