A concerning event unfolded in Southeast Baltimore last weekend, where resident Brent Goetz, 23, now finds himself charged with both possession of a destructive device and second-degree assault. This comes after an explosion was reported near a local Home Depot's parking lot on Eastern Avenue, FOX Baltimore detailed the allegations.
According to sources, the incident occurred around 2 p.m. on Sunday, when patrol officers were dispatched to the scene. This Home Depot parking lot sits just south of a Wendy's restaurant after an explosive device of some nature was detonated, causing a sudden and dangerous disruption. Police reported that no injuries were sustained despite the resulting chaos. Witnesses indicated that Goetz, along with potential victims, fled the vicinity post-haste. WMAR-2 News reported on an aspect of the aftermath.
The ensuing investigation led detectives to link a previously unidentified male—now confirmed to be Goetz—to the explosion through a combination of surveillance footage analysis and vehicle registration checks. Specifically, a Toyota Camry caught on camera near the event was eventually traced back to the suspect. The car, which was seen lingering before abruptly approaching a group of individuals along a fence line, has been pinpointed as the vehicle from which Goetz allegedly threw an explosive device, per CBS News Baltimore.
The charging documents, cited by FOX Baltimore, made note of the discovery of "debris and components of a device consistent with a TAG-67 Airsoft hand grenade," linking the evidence to the explosive incident occurring on that Sunday. The investigation quickly targeted Goetz as the prime suspect, following a string of information-gathering steps which included an eyewitness account, the leverage of mobile tracking apps, and the recovery of additional hand grenades from Goetz's personal space.
