A 26-year-old man has been charged in the largely failed attempt to bomb Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office in Montgomery, Alabama, according to a Wednesday news release from that office.
Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert allegedly detonated an improvised explosive device outside that office early on the morning of Feb. 25.
“No injuries or major damage to nearby buildings were reported,” according to the news release (available in its entirety below).
Calvert faces a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20, without possibility of parole, if convicted on the charges of malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device on which he has been indicted, the release said.
According to court filings cited by AL.com, Calvert also distributed stickers on various government buildings near the bomb site that supported a number of what it called “political ideologies” — including multiple stickers that used the phrase “Support your local antifa.”
“Antifa, short for Anti-Fascist, does not describe a particular group, but rather describes individuals who adhere to what they consider as ‘anti-fascist beliefs,’” the website reported.
“The term Antifa is often associated with anarchist violent extremists, individuals who, in addition to holding anti-fascist beliefs, are also opposed to capitalism and the current form of the U.S. government and who advocate violence to achieve their goals, the charging documents explain,” it said.
According to an FBI lab analysis of the explosive device cited by AL.com, it was constructed using “commercially available pyrotechnic fireworks” as the main explosive ingredient, augmented by gasoline, lighter fluid or a similar flammable liquid.
It also contained screws and nails to cause greater damage, according to the report.
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The damage done by the explosion was so minimal, however, that police who first responded to the scene said that the 911 call reporting the explosion was “unfounded,” according to the website. It wasn’t until the following morning when employees arrived at the building that it was even noticed.
Investigators found social media images of Calvert wearing the same kind of goggles worn by the bombing suspect, who was caught on surveillance camera footage.
They also found video of Calvert displaying stickers, reportedly purchased from an Australian company, that were identical to those the suspect had placed on buildings near the bomb site prior to the explosion, including those related to Antifa.
Calvert had no previous arrest record in the state, according to the site, but a former supervisor described him as having “mental struggles” and being “borderline unstable.”
He had described himself as “impulsive by nature in some way that can often be violent, or my impulses are violent” in a social media post cited by authorities in court documents.
The news release from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office appears in its entirety below.
An Alabama man was indicted for his alleged role in detonating an explosive device in downtown Montgomery, Alabama.
On April 10, law enforcement arrested Kyle Benjamin Douglas Calvert, 26, of Irondale, on charges of malicious use of an explosive and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
“Thanks to the work of the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners, this defendant is being held accountable for allegedly detonating an explosive device outside of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department has no tolerance for acts of violence targeting those who serve the public.”
“The FBI worked closely with our 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,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “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.”
“Federal, state, and local law enforcement agents worked tirelessly to investigate this matter,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama. “The arrest today is a reflection of the way in which close cooperation among law enforcement agencies facilitates the pursuit of justice. I am grateful for the efforts of all involved.”
According to the indictment and other court documents, an explosive device was detonated on Feb. 24 at approximately 3:42 a.m. outside of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office near the intersection of Washington Avenue and South Bainbridge Street. No injuries or major damage to nearby buildings were reported. 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 when remnants of the device were discovered.
The case was unsealed today by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama. If convicted, Calvert faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Mobile Field Office, Montgomery Resident Agency Office, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell T. Duraski and Brett J. Talley for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.
