Dry Ice Bombs At LAX Lead To Employee Arrest

Police have arrested Dicarlo Bennett, 28, in connection with two dry ice bombs which were detonated in a bathroom and near a plane at Los Angeles International Airport.

Bennett, an employee for ground handling company Servisair, was taken into custody and charged with possessing and detonating a “destructive device.”

A law enforcement officer speaking on condition of anonymity said the dry ice bomb was placed inside an employee restroom Sunday night. Police later found a second device on a tarmac outside of the international terminal.

Before Bennett was arrested police said they did not believe the dry ice bombs were the act of terrorists. The investigation almost immediately focused on disgruntled employees.

There were no injuries caused by the explosion.

Dicarlo uses 20-ounce plastic bottles to create his explosive devices. From a short range the devices could have injured other employees.

The incident was investigated by Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Michael Downing.

The first device exploded inside a men’s restroom in Terminal 2. It wasn’t until later that night when investigators found pieces of a bottle near the Tom Bradley International Terminal. An employee found the first exploded bottle and threw it away, that same employee found an unexploded bottle the following day and reported both events.

LAX places cameras in some of its restricted areas, unfortunately there is less coverage in public-access areas. Investigators are investigating all surveillance equipment in the area.

Dry ice bombs would be fairly easy to construct since many food suppliers at LAX use it to store and transport food.

The bomb investigation is still ongoing and new charges may be levied against Dicarlo Bennett in the coming days.