A 56-year-old Redondo Beach man was arrested in connection with a suspicious package found at the Torrance Courthouse, authorities said Saturday.
Investigators located the suspect Friday in the 2200 block of Belmont Lane in Redondo Beach. Detectives conducted a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and arrested him for the use of a destructive device, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The Torrance Courthouse was evacuated Wednesday in response to a suspicious package found at the building, but no injuries were reported.
Personnel at the courthouse were alerted at 7 a.m. and the suspicious package was located about 30 feet from the main entrance of the building on Maple Avenue, just north of Torrance Boulevard, the sheriff’s department said.
Torrance police and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies initially responded to investigate the suspicious device, and representatives from the FBI arrived later.
Video from the scene showed a bomb squad robot approaching and detonating what appeared to be an orange inflatable item near a bench outside the building’s front entrance. More than an hour afterward, the building remained closed. Reports from the scene indicated there was a note attached to the item.
Sheriff’s officials declared the area safe around 10:15 a.m., but the building remained closed.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Arson Explosives Detail is actively investigating the incident with the assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” authorities said at the time.
Los Angeles Superior Court officials said all matters that were on calendar Wednesday were being rescheduled, while time-sensitive matters were relocated to other court buildings.
The suspect was booked at the Torrance Police Department on $500,000 bail.
Anyone with information regarding the suspicious package was urged to contact the Sheriff’s Arson Explosives Detail at 323-881-7500, Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.