Features

Police find bomb in Emeryville hotel

The Associated Press
Friday October 13, 2000

EMERYVILLE — An explosive device was destroyed by a bomb squad early Thursday after police responding to reports of gunfire discovered the device in a hotel room. 

Police went to the Sheraton Four Points Hotel late Wednesday and then called in the bomb squad from the University of California Berkeley, which destroyed the device. No injuries were reported. 

The 35-year-old man who had rented the room was taken into police custody and questioned by investigators. His name was not released. 

About 200 guests were evacuated from the hotel for more than three hours as police searched the hotel. 

The hotel was evacuated for some three hours, while the University of California at Berkeley police bomb squad was called to retrieve the device.  

When officers entered a fourth-floor room they found a broken window, a handgun, an automatic assault rifle and the bomb. It wasn't until after it was retrieved, police say, that investigators reached the conclusion that the explosive was genuine. 

Police would not describe the explosive device other than to say it was armed and could have caused significant damage to the room and adjacent rooms. 

Police say that had it detonated within the hotel room, the device would have caused significant damage to the room, and perhaps would have damaged adjacent rooms, too. 

Investigators were trying to determine why the man had the weapons in his room. There were no reported robbery attempts on the hotel and no political or high profile conventions being held at the Four Points. 

“Short of anything overt being found, this is very much a mystery at this point,” said Sgt. Greg Bowman of the Emeryville Police Department.