A man walked up to a Tacoma bail bonds office on Pacific Avenue, set an explosive device near the front entrance, and walked away just before it detonated, shattering the glass storefront while three employees were inside. No one was hurt in the blast, but Tacoma police are still searching for the person responsible.
The explosion happened around 6:09 p.m. Monday outside Bad Boys Bail Bonds, in the 4800 block of Pacific Avenue, according to a Tacoma police release cited by The News Tribune. Police say the suspect placed the device near the front door, lit it, and walked away — the device went off roughly 30 seconds later, causing significant damage to the front door and surrounding glass. The bail bond business operates its Tacoma office at 4830 Pacific Avenue, Suite A, and has been a family-owned fixture in Western Washington for more than 25 years, serving Pierce, King, and 10 other surrounding counties, according to Bad Boys Bail Bonds, Inc.
In the hours after the blast, local incident reporting described the suspect as wearing a red beanie and a dark striped-sleeve shirt. His motive for targeting the bail bond agency remains unknown.
Bomb Squad and Forensics Teams Process the Scene
Tacoma police detectives are investigating the incident, and the department's Explosive Ordnance Detail — commonly known as the bomb squad — conducted a post-blast investigation at the scene, the report notes. That unit is trained by the FBI and responds about 60 times a year to suspicious packages in Tacoma, according to a Tacoma Police Department video.
Once the bomb squad cleared the scene, forensic personnel moved in to process physical evidence. Police are now investigating potential felony-level charges for using explosives and are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
What Charges Could Look Like Under Washington Law
Washington law gives prosecutors more than one option for charging someone accused of placing an explosive near a building. Under RCW 70.74.270, placing a device near a building is first-degree malicious placement — a Class A felony — if done with intent to commit a terrorist act, or second-degree malicious placement — a Class B felony — if the circumstances simply endanger human safety, according to the Washington State Legislature.
It is also not yet clear whether federal agencies will take a lead role.
No one was hurt in Monday's blast outside Bad Boys Bail Bonds, but the damage to the storefront and the suspect's method — lighting a device and walking away before it exploded — have left investigators with urgent questions about motive and who was responsible. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Tacoma police.
