Suspect In Puyallup Hospital Bomb Incident Was Targeting Ex-Girlfriend: Police

PUYALLUP, WA - A man who sought treatment at Good Samaritan Hospital early Sunday morning for an explosives injury - and who allegedly set off an hours-long closure of the hospital due to an investigation of an explosive device inside a vehicle - intended to detonate a bomb near his ex-girlfriend's home, police are saying.

The incident began at 4 a.m. Sunday when an 18-year-old and a 24-year-old - both Edgewood residents - arrived at the hospital seeking treatment for injuries related to an explosion. The 18-year-old sustained serious injuries to his hand, and had to be treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The 24-year-old was treated at Good Samaritan and released, but was expected to be arrested.

Meanwhile, the pickup truck the men arrived in drew suspicion because there appeared to be a bomb in it. Police closed down the main entrance of the hospital and evacuated staff out of caution. After several hours, police determined that the device in the truck had already exploded, likely before the truck was driven to the hospital. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms assisted with the investigation.

A Puyallup police officer had reported hearing an explosion in the southwest section of the city around 3:30 a.m Sunday. Police also learned that the 18-year-old man's ex-girlfriend lives in that area of the city. Police later located the site of an explosion along the 700 block of 13th Street Southwest.

The 18-year-old man later told police that he had intended to detonate a bomb - what police described as a "sparkler pipe bomb" - near his ex-girlfriend's house, police said.

Police say they expect to charge the two men criminally in the coming days.