2 Bombs Found in Van Nuys; 1 Explodes

Two bombs, including one that had apparently detonated, were found near the Municipal Court Building in Van Nuys this morning, forcing a four-hour evacuation of the San Fernando Valley Civic Center mall, police said.

The second bomb, found in the same area, did not explode. A police bomb squad was attempting to disarm the device this afternoon.

Police could not tell when the first bomb went off but said the explosion apparently fizzled and caused no damage or injuries.

An unidentified county employee found the exploded device at 7:30 a.m. near a temporary administrative court building at the intersection of Sylvan Street and Sylmar Avenue, Los Angeles Police Lt. Dan Cooke said.

The device was taken to a nearby police station and the Civic Center mall area closed down until 11:30 a.m., Cooke said. Police found the second bomb near temporary office trailers outside the courthouse, he said.

The bombs were apparently placed there between 4:30 p.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m. today, said Lt. Don Beasley, head of the LAPD’s Criminal Conspiracy Section. Public buildings in the mall were closed Monday because of Columbus Day.

Beasley said there was no known motive for planting the bombs.