North Vancouver RCMP is asking for the public's help to identify two persons of interest in the investigation into an explosive device going off at B.C. NDP MLA and cabinet minister Bowinn Ma's constituency office in June.
The RCMP update comes about a week and a half after two separate reports of loud bangs or explosions in the city in the early hours of June 27.
The first "loud bang" was heard in the 100-block of West 1st Street around 2:45 a.m., but police initially didn't find evidence of an explosive device. The second "loud explosion," Cpl. Mansoor Sahak said on June 27 was reported around 4:15 a.m. near the intersection of West Esplanade and Chesterfield avenues and officers found damage to the front door of an office building, which was Ma's constituency office.
Cpl. Mansoor Sahak said Tuesday (July 8) that the evidence has since been examined and assessed by the RCMP's explosives device unit and the damage was consistent with the detonation of an "unsophisticated homemade device" that was lit by a burning fuse.
Sahak told media the explosive device could have potentially been multiple bear-bangers tied together. He also added that police have since found evidence that a street sign was hit in the first incident.
Police are now looking for the two suspects, releasing images and descriptions of the two persons of interest.
Sahak said the first suspect is described as a "Caucasian male, with short, balding hair, a stocky build, wearing a black jacket, dark T-shirt and blue jeans." The second suspect is described as a"Caucasian male with a slender build, wearing a long blonde wig, black hoodie and dark blue pants," Sahak said, noting that it appears the suspect was intending to hide his identity with the wig.
More to come.
