Man With Suspected Pipe Bomb At Marietta Plaza Called 911 On Himself

MARIETTA, GA — An Alabama man with a suspected pipe bomb called 911 on himself Saturday and triggered a full evacuation of the East Gate shopping plaza, Marietta Police said Monday.

Robert Devlin, 37, of Lincoln, Ala., is charged on suspicion of false report of a crime, false public alarm and destructive devices - hoax device, police said.

It is unknown why Devlin had traveled to Marietta or why he called 911 on himself, police said.

Around 8:15 a.m., officers responded to the Lower Roswell Road plaza after receiving a 911 call about a pickup truck parked near the plaza carrying a potential bomb or explosive device, police said.

The officers approached Devlin and determined the bomb threat to be credible. He was taken into custody, and authorities began evacuating the area, police said. Deputies with the Cobb County Sheriff's Office, Cobb County officers, Marietta Fire personnel and Cobb County Fire personnel helped with the evacuation and traffic control.

The Cobb County Police bomb squad, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms all responded to the scene.

Bomb technicians recovered a device that resembled a pipe bomb from Devlin's truck around noon, and a robot searched the remainder of the truck, police said.

No other devices were found, and the truck was impounded, police said. The area reopened to the public around 3 p.m.

Cobb County Police detectives determined the suspected pipe bomb had some explosive elements but lacked other components needed for it to be deemed a fully assembled explosive device, police said.

Devlin is being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on a $60,000 bond, police said.