PHOENIX — After months of explosions, the Phoenix Police Department has finally gone on the record about a series of incidents that have put those living in northern Phoenix on edge.
The department has received more than 200 calls since late October, when the explosions started. The incidents have been so frequent that nearly everyone in the area has been a witness at some point.
"I've heard probably like three or four," said one witness.
"I was gonna say about five," said another.
"The windows on some of the offices were shaking," said third person, who heard one from inside his work.
"Patrol officers are on heightened alert, our investigators are working really hard," said Sgt Armando Carbajal.
Despite all of the calls, no officers had witnessed one of the explosions. That changed on Sunday.
"A couple of our police officers on patrol in the area of 35th Avenue and Beardsley, they actually saw a bright flash followed by a loud noise," said Sgt. Carbajal.
In fact, a vehicle similar to the one investigators have been looking for was spotted in the area shortly afterword.
"They contacted the driver of the vehicle a short time later, the driver denied any involvement, the investigation is ongoing," said Carbajal.
Police have recovered suspicious materials at multiple scenes but have yet to land any DNA or fingerprints.
"We're still not quite sure who's doing this, what type of material they're using and what the impact could be," said Carbajal.
And while investigators don't have the answers the community may want quite yet, they want to be clear: your concerns are not being ignored.
"We want them to know the phoenix police department is diligently working to figure out what's going on and if there is a crime that's occurring and a suspect connect to it, we're going to bring them to justice," said Sgt. Carbajal.
