An Iowa man built a potentially deadly device while dining at a sushi restaurant to prove a point: that he did not believe bomb threats were being taken seriously, KCCI reported.
According to Des Moines police, Ivory Lee Washington, 40, constructed the improvised explosive device Tuesday while at Akebono 515 just to see if anyone would stop him, the Des Moines Register reported.
"He said his motive was frustration that people in our society don't care about safety," Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek told the newspaper. “And he was making a point that he could construct a device in public without anyone calling the police."
Washington is charged with possession of explosive or incendiary material with intent. He is being held on a $25,000 bond and is due in court Jan. 25, the Register reported.
The restaurant's owner, Nam Tran, told KCCI the situation was unexpected and said he had "no idea" there was a bomb in the building.
“(Washington) kept wandering around different tables,” Tran told the television station. “(He would) go to the electric outlet and plug in some device, a phone jack or something, and go up to the bar a few times and ask to throw some trash away.”
Washington actually called police on himself, KCCI reported. A bomb squad entered the restaurant, removed the device and determined it was legitimate, the television station reported. Washington then was taken into custody.
“We tested it to see it if would explode. It did,” Parizek said.
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