A LoboAlert was sent out by the University of New Mexico Police Department regarding police activity occurring on University Boulevard Wednesday at 3:35 p.m., advising citizens to “please avoid until further notice.”
Subsequent alerts said a “suspicious package” had been removed from the scene — UNMPD has now confirmed that the package in question consisted of homemade grenades and pipe bombs.
Lt. Trace Peck, public information officer for UNMPD, said in an interview with the Daily Lobo that the initial incident occurred following a traffic stop, when police stopped the suspect’s vehicle because his license plate did not match the vehicle he was driving. The suspect pulled over in the parking lot near the UNM Health Sciences Outpatient Surgery and Imagery Services building.
During the stop, the officer saw a firearm and what looked like various explosive devices in the backseat of the vehicle.
Once UNMPD removed the suspect from the vehicle, officers secured the scene and brought in the Albuquerque Police Department bomb squad to dispose of the explosive devices.
“He actually pulled over in a parking lot, so we were pretty confident we had the area secured anyways,” Peck said.
The suspect was arrested and then taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque. There is currently no information as to whether or not the suspect is out on bail, Peck said.
Kyle Land is a news editor with the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted by email at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @kyleoftheland.
