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Man detonates bomb in public Ocean Beach restroom; search for suspect underway

A man was startled in the restroom as he was relieving himself when the explosion happened, police said.

SAN DIEGO —

San Diego police are searching for a man responsible for detonating a bomb in an Ocean Beach park’s public restroom Sunday morning, according to police.

Authorities received reports around 8:45 a.m. Sunday morning of an explosion at Dusty Rhodes Park in Ocean Beach, located in the 2000 block of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard.

Officers arrived on the scene and immediately pinpointed the explosion to the park’s public restroom, according to Lieutenant Casey Gini with San Diego police. 

A man was startled in the restroom as he was relieving himself when the explosion happened, police said.

San Diego Fire Department’s Metro-Arson Strike Team (MAST) was called to the scene – a typical practice when an incident involves a suspicious fire or explosive devices, the city’s website detailed. 

MAST located remnants of a small “cricket bomb” spread throughout the restroom, Lt. Gini said. 

The victim using the restroom when the bomb exploded was uninjured but did suffer ringing in his ears from the percussions of the bomb in a confined space, authorities said. 

San Diego police are searching for a 45 to 50-year-old suspect described as a 6 feet tall white male wearing a red shirt and pants. 

Lt Gini said cricket bombs are dangerous, and people could be seriously injured due to their detonation. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives described cricket bombs as improvised explosive devices which can kill or seriously injure people. 

Anyone with information was asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. 

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