Man Killed when Explosive Detonates Near Calif. Schools

Feb. 1, 2022

Antioch police found wires near the body of a man in his mid-50s who appeared to have died from self-inflicted injuries caused by "some kind of improvised explosive device."

By Katie Dowd

Source SFGate, San Francisco

A Bay Area man was killed by an improvised explosive device near several schools in Antioch, police said Monday.

Police received a call from a passerby at 7:30 a.m. reporting a man lying injured near West 17th and F streets, where Live Oak High School, Antioch Middle School and Fremont Elementary School all have campuses. When police arrived on the scene, the man was located with "severe trauma" and declared dead at the scene.

Wires were discovered near the body, and the bomb squad from the Walnut Creek Police Department was called, Antioch Police Department spokesman Officer Darryl Saffold said.

"Upon further investigation, it appears that the victim's injuries were self-inflicted and possibly the result of some kind of improvised explosive device," Saffold said. It's not clear if the person purposefully or accidentally detonated the device, and Saffold said they didn't have any reports of people hearing an explosion in the area.

Saffold described the deceased as a white male in his mid-50s. His identity was not released.

Antioch police ordered a shelter in place in the area, and classes were canceled for the day at Live Oak High School. Nearby Antioch Middle and Fremont Elementary schools were put on lockdown as police swept the area.

"There are no indications that there are any other improvised explosive devices at the schools or adjacent neighborhoods," Saffold said, "but we just want to make sure."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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