Suspect in custody for possession of explosive device
By Sam Catanzaro
Santa Monica police are investigating a man suspected of throwing multiple Molotov cocktails near two McDonalds in the city over the weekend.
According to Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) Lieutenant Candice Cobarrubias, on January 19 around 3 p.m. police started receiving reports of a person throwing what was described as Molotov cocktails onto the streets in the area of both Santa Monica Boulevard and Pico Boulevard.
“It should be noted that we had been receiving calls about this same subject and vehicle over the course of the weekend,” Cobarrubias said.
On Sunday, SMPD officers spotted a car matching the description in the area of Centinela Avenue and Pico Boulevard. A traffic stop was conducted and evidence was found inside the vehicle that tied the subject and the vehicle to the suspect who was seen throwing Molotov cocktails, according to Cobarrubias.
SMPD arrest records indicate the suspect is Korie Schmidt, 31, who has been charged with possession of an explosive device and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
“As a precaution, as it was unknown what else may be in [the] disheveled car, LASD Bomb Squad was notified and is responding to render the vehicle safe,” Cobarrubias said.
The suspect was reported throwing Molotov cocktails near both the McDonalds on 2712 Santa Monica Boulevard and on 2902 Pico Boulevard. In a phone conversation, the department said they cannot confirm that the McDonalds were targeted but that it is a possibility. More information will be available once investigators finish interviewing the suspect.
