An Alabama man has been arrested and charged in connection with the detonation of an explosive device outside the state attorney general’s office in downtown Montgomery earlier this year, the Department of Justice announced.
Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, 26, of Irondale, was arrested by law enforcement officers on April 10 on charges of malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine for malicious damage by explosives, and 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine for the possession of an unregistered destructive device, according to Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office.
Agents and troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, along with special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and officers from the Montgomery Police Department, responded to the scene and discovered remnants of the device, and an investigation was quickly launched.
Mr. Marshall welcomed the indictment and arrest of Mr. Calvert in an April 10 statement.
“My staff and I are breathing a collective sigh of relief this morning knowing that this individual has been taken off the streets,” Mr. Marshall said.
“Although more information will be provided in the weeks to come, I think it is safe to say that this was not a random act of violence. We are grateful to our federal and local partners for their assistance in this matter and are pleased that the offender faces federal charges carrying significant prison time,” the attorney general added.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the agency worked closely with its law enforcement partners to “run down every lead and leverage our forensic capabilities to identify and arrest the person who is allegedly responsible for detonating this dangerous device.”
“This explosion was very unsettling to the community and we hope today’s arrest provides reassurance that the FBI will investigate those who target public institutions and will hold them accountable for such illegal acts,” the FBI director added.
Attorney General’s Office Won’t Prosecute IVF Providers, Families
The explosion occurred shortly after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled on the status of human embryos. According to the ruling, embryos, including those that are frozen after being created through in vitro fertilization (IVF), are considered children under state law, bringing them under the protection of the state’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.That measure was signed into law by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on March 6.
Mr. Marshall’s office stated that he did not plan to prosecute IVF providers or families, despite the controversy stemming from the recent ruling, which arose from a lawsuit against a cryogenic facility over the destruction of stored embryos. The ruling sparked widespread concern regarding the future of IVF treatments in the state.
