FBI releases sketch of ‘person of interest’ in Colorado NAACP explosion

FBI releases sketch of ‘person of interest’ in Colorado NAACP explosion

The NAACP has denounced the attack as a hate crime, although the FBI is still investigating why the individual placed the device.

The FBI has released a sketch of the man suspected to be behind the explosion near the offices of the Colorado Springs chapter of the NAACP.

The FBI, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is also offering $10,000 in exchange for information on the explosion that happened Tuesday, which did not cause any injuries and inflicted only minor damage on the building, but still scared the employees of both the NAACP and the black-owned salon housed in the building, according to CBS News.

Police aren’t sure the NAACP was targeted in the blast, but are investigating it as a possible hate crime.

The FBI released a sketch of a bald white man with sunglasses, which was based on reports by witnesses who said they saw him place a device near the building that houses the NAACP, and that he left in a newer model dirty white pickup truck as the device detonated.

The FBI had been referring to the incident as an explosion, but FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle on Friday said it was a “bomber” who carrier out the attack. He noted that there had been no threats to the NAACP in the weeks prior to the bombing, and “only the bomber knows why he put this there.”

The device, which was crude, did not ignite a canister of gasoline that was directly next to it. Even if it had, it wouldn’t have caused much more damage, but it is still a serious crime, Ravenelle said.

The intent was there to do something bad, he said, which is enough for federal authorities to get involved, as the amount of damage is irrelevant for a crime of this magnitude.

The Denver NAACP office denounced the incident as a hate crime and “proof that racism is still alive,” and that the bombing was a “cowardly act,” according to a statement the organization released. The NAACP pledged to continue its fight for “the quality of all people,” it stated.

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