Briefing planned on blast near Colorado NAACP office
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Federal investigators have called a Friday afternoon news conference to discuss the Tuesday morning explosion outside the NAACP offices here.
The FBI says it's considering whether the detonation of a small improvised explosive device was an act of domestic terror.
No one was hurt in the explosion, and the building sustained only minimal damage. Federal agents say the IED was set off next to a can of gasoline, which failed to ignite.
Colorado Springs is the state's second-largest city and home to tens of thousands of active-duty and retired military.
NAACP workers at the office said they were shaken by what appeared to be a bombing attempt but didn't have any specific idea why they might have been targeted. The building also houses Mr G's Hair Design Studios, and the explosion happened closer to the salon's end of the building, witnesses have said.
The hashtag #NAACPbombing continues to be one of the top trends on Twitter but investigators have referred to the incident only as an explosion, not a bombing.
In a statement Thursday, the investigation team and Colorado Springs NAACP office asked for the public's help in solving the crime. The FBI is searching for a possible suspect, described as a white, balding man about 40 years old and driving a newer model white but dirty pickup with a dark bed liner.
"The investigation into this criminal act is a high priority and is being conducted as a joint effort with local and federal law enforcement resources. Community safety is of utmost concern and we are united in our response to this incident," the joint statement reads.
"Regardless of if this act is determined to be a biased motivated crime, the law enforcement community in El Paso County does not condone this or any act of violence. We stand with the business owners at Mr. G's Hair Design Studio and the NAACP denouncing any violence or aggression brought against our community."
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The Colorado Springs explosion comes against the backdrop of rising racial tensions in the U.S. It struck fear in the local community and among citizens across the country concerned about racial justice and decades of violence against NAACP members.
In a statement, the Baltimore-based national office of the NAACP said it looked forward to a "full and thorough" investigation. The local office reopened for business Tuesday afternoon, with staff fielding calls from reporters while answering questions from investigators about who might have wanted to target them and why.