Akron Man Arrested With Bomb Before Vigil Heads To Court

AKRON, OH — An Akron man has been federally charged with transporting explosive materials, the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio, announced Tuesday morning. Elijah Blankenship, 27, will make his first appearance in court at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

"Our officers did a great job being vigilant and proactive in stopping Elijah Blankenship. We are and will continue to work with our federal partners to bring this case to justice," said Chief Kenneth Ball, Akron Police Department.

Blankenship was arrested Aug. 16, 2017, hours before a candlelight vigil in Akron to honor of the victims of the Charlottesville attacks. Officers spotted Blankenship in the area of Druid Walk in Akron, and started talking to him. At that time, police determined that Blankenship was reportedly in possession of a folding knife.

An Ohio State Highway Patrol K-9 Officer and his canine came to the scene, as well. Soon after two packages of an unknown powder, gunpowder and a pipe bomb were found during a probable cause search of his vehicle, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Blankenship was then taken into custody.

"Law enforcement did an outstanding job identifying this defendant and finding the explosive he possessed," U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said in a statement. "Collaborative efforts such as this are crucial to keeping our nation and community safe."

The materials seized from Blankenship's car were taken for further analysis. The suspected pipe bomb was disassembled and revealed PVC components containing metal screws, nuts, bolts and unknown powder. The powder burned in a manner consistent with an energetic pyrotechnic powder, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"Officers on scene are commended for their swift and thorough response to the dangerous situation they encountered. The FBI will continue to work collaboratively with local, state and federal agencies in order to ensure our community and our citizens are kept safe," Stephen Anthony, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, said.

Blankenship is now facing a charge of possession of an explosive device without a license. He will appear in federal court Tuesday.

Photo from Shutterstock