Explosive Device At Woodinville T.J. Maxx On July 4 Causes Evacuation

WOODINVILLE, WA - Woodinville deputies interrupted the detonation of a possible explosive device in front of the T.J. Maxx store along Northeast 175th Street on Tuesday. According to police, shoppers called 911 reporting that there were several adults in the parking lot "filtering liquids through a series of pipes."

When a deputy arrived at the scene, he heard a loud bang and saw wires running from a car to a one-gallon container. He approached the car and found four people inside, and they told the deputy they were performing an experiment with a "hydrogen and oxygen type device."

Police evacuated the T.J. Maxx and closed the surrounding shopping center so the King County Sheriff's Office Bomb Disposal Unit could get rid of the device.

One of the people ran from the scene when the deputy first approached; another person in the car was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Police also found suspected methamphetamine in the car.

The sheriff's bomb squad is still investigating the incident.

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