Bomb squad removes “suspicious devices” from Hemet home
HEMET, Calif. — A Hemet neighborhood was evacuated and bomb squad members were called in to assist after “suspected destructive devices” were found inside a home yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, June 10.
Officers had responded to the private residence on the 900 block of S. Palm Ave. to investigate reports of a man who was possibly suffering from a mental health crisis while threatening to harm himself and others.
The devices were later determined to be benign, according to officials; who said a man was hospitalized after the incident.
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City of Hemet Police and Fire departments were dispatched to the residence around 2 p.m., after receiving reports that a man was possibly suffering a mental breakdown, Hemet Police Lt. Nate Miller later reported.
“The man had also made and sent some video recordings wherein he appeared to be having a psychological emergency,” explained Miller; saying the man was believed to have destructive devices in his residence and was threatening to harm himself and others.
After cordoning off a residential neighborhood in Hemet yesterday afternoon, area streets were soon flooded with countless emergency vehicles. Bomb squad and SWAT officials eventually removed a number of “suspicious devices” found during a medical aid call. Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photo
When officers arrived at the home they cautiously approached the residence and peered through a broken window, where they spotted a man inside the home.
“He appeared to be breathing, but was otherwise unresponsive,” according to Miller.
“While attempting to provide aid to the man, responders noticed several items that appeared to be destructive devices,” Miller explained; saying, “Some of these items could not be immediately checked due to their locations and the position of the man inside the home.”
Based on the potential danger, officers immediately began evacuating area residents and closing streets surrounding the home and requested additional resources, including the Riverside County Sheriff’s Hazardous Device Team, to the scene.
While concerned area residents and curious onlookers watched the police activity unfolding in their neighborhood from outside the cordoned off streets, the area was soon filled with countless official vehicles; including two armored tactical rescue vehicles, bomb squad rigs, and numerous police and sheriff vehicles.
Fire personnel and ambulance crews were also parked throughout the neighborhood and standing by in case needed.
A sheriff’s robot was also brought out to assist with inspecting and recovering the suspected explosive devices.
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“The devices were ultimately discovered to be benign household items intentionally made to look like destructive devices,” Miller explained after the hours-long incident.
The man officers had initially responded to assist and evaluate was later transported to an area hospital and is expected to survive, according to Miller; who declined to expand further on the man’s condition.
Hemet PD is continuing to investigate the incident.
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William Fitz/Hemet News photos above
Timothy Franzese/Public Safety Incidents photos above
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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.
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