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Man Arrested For LAX Dry-Ice Bombs Was A 'Prankster'

Kaysie Ellingson |
October 16, 2013 | 11:25 a.m. PDT

Executive Producer

 

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A suspect has been arrested on suspicion of planting three dry-ice bombs around Los Angeles International Airport this week. Dicarlo Bennett, 28, was detained on Tuesday following the events that happened on Sunday and Monday, according to CNN. Although he was arrested in connection to both events, so far he has only been charged with one. 

"We want to reassure the traveling public, visitors and employees that LAX is safe and secure," Los Angeles Airport Police Chief Patrick Gannon told CNN. 

The areas where the bombs had been planted were off-limits to public access, which lead police officials on a search for a suspect who had access to those secured areas. The Los Angeles Times reported that Bennett worked as a former ramp supervisor for LAX ground-service provider, Servisair. 

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, no serious motive is suspected for these alleged acts. They consider Bennett a prankster who will face serious charges for his action because the devices were found near an aircraft. 

Los Angeles police Chief Michael Downing said, "He thought it was funny. There is no terrorism here. This is one man involved who made very poor choices. There is nothing funny about what he did." 

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According to Discovery News, dry ice is the solid formation of carbon dioxide, which freezes at minus 109 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 78 Celsius. When this substance is placed in water it sublimates--it turns from a solid directly into a gas. When placed in a container with the lid tightly sealed the created gas begins to exert pressure on the container and eventually it will burst.

These bombs can be very serious. They are often created with glass or metal containers to inflict serious injury. 

The first incident occurred in an employee bathroom on Sunday, when a plastic bottle containing dry ice exploded. No injuries were reported in the blast. The second was on Monday evening in the Tom Bradley International Terminal when police found three plastic bottles containing dry ice. Only one of those three had exploded. 

"We want to reassure the traveling public, visitors and employees that LAX is safe and secure," Gannon said. CNN reported that Bennett is being held on a $1 million bond and could face a charge of possession of an explosive or destructive device near an aircraft. 

 



 

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