A Washington state radio DJ, John Richards, described an incident in which his family narrowly escaped an explosion from an object resembling a ball on a Burien road. According to a WAGM-TV report, Richards, who hosts the morning show on KEXP, had just picked up his wife from the airport with his 11-year-old son in tow and were en route home during the evening of the incident. Initially mistaking the dangerous object for a soccer ball, Richards's instincts to slow down quickly turned to alarm. "Within a second, I turn to my wife and say, 'That’s a bomb,'" Richards recalled.
The family was mere feet away from the object when it exploded, a surveillance video capturing the blast right behind their car. Despite their close proximity to the blast, they managed to escape unharmed, though not unaffected. Richards shared with KING 5, "They saw it explode behind the car," and added that the explosion was sufficiently powerful to leave the family temporarily with muffled hearing and ringing in the ears. They immediately called 911 after pulling over, finding themselves "absolutely in shock," according to Richards. His son was said to be particularly traumatized by the near miss.
While investigating the incident, officers discovered fragments believed to be parts of an improvised explosive device scattered along the road. Fox 13 Seattle reported that the King County Sheriff's Office Bomb Disposal Unit responded after receiving multiple calls from the public. No injuries were reported, but the explosive's proximity to passers-by and its loud detonation left those nearby quite shaken.
Detectives are assessing the collected evidence to determine the nature and possible motive behind the explosive device's placement. The investigation is ongoing, and details are being released to ensure that necessary measures are implemented in response to these actions.
