Man narrowly escapes targeted explosives outside home

Jason Van Rassel, Calgary Herald

Published: Sunday, November 22, 2009

A resident of a northeast Calgary apartment complex risked serious injury--and possibly death--Saturday morning when he picked up and tossed away two explosives that had been placed outside his suite only moments before they blew up.

Police said the man was inside his ground-floor unit at 5300 Rundlehorn Dr. N.E. about 7 a.m. when he heard noises coming from the parking lot outside.

When he went to investigate, he found two explosive devices placed just outside the patio door of his home on the north side of the parking lot.

calgary police were investigating after two explosive devices were left at a home in rundle on Saturday.

Lorraine Hjalte, Calgary Herald

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"He threw them into the parking lot, where they detonated," duty inspector Frank Reuser said.

Investigators are still trying to determine who placed the devices outside the home--and why--but police are certain the explosives were capable of causing serious harm or death.

"It's very evident to me that the person . . . was probably within seconds of being very hurt or killed," Reuser said.

The man was also faced with a difficult, split-second choice, added Reuser: even if he ran back inside, the devices were powerful enough to cause serious harm--but picking them up and throwing them away was also extremely risky.

"This particular person was between a rock and a hard pile," he said.

"It's one of those situations where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't."

The explosions in the parking lot prompted nearby residents to call police, thinking there had been gunshots in the area.

"We were sleeping and we heard, bing-bang-boom," said Al Manji, who lives in a building at the other end of the parking lot.

The noise also awakened Tim Zuk, who lives in the same building as the targeted suite.

"I could smell the gunpowder-- an odour similar to after a fireworks show," he said.

Officers found remnants of the two exploded devices in the outdoor parking lot separating the building where the target lives and another just south of it.

By early Saturday evening, a pile of pennies and nickels, mixed with the occasional nail and bottle cap, remained in the parking lot near a white older-model Oldsmobile.

One woman who lives in the building said she was awoken by the two explosions. She said the device she saw in the parking lot was a short piece of pipe that was wrapped with something that looked like cotton.

Police evacuated all the apartment suites facing the lot while tactical team officers searched for any more devices. No others were found.

An unspecified number of residents from the targeted apartment suite are now talking with police.

"It appears to be a targeted attack," Reuser said.

Zuk said police responded to a disturbance at the home of the intended victims about a week ago, but it's not yet known if the incident is connected.

witH files from riCHard CutHbertson jvanrassel@theherald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2009