A pipe bomb was discovered by a cleaning crew in one of the outside bathrooms in Library Park at about 7:30 Tuesday morning. Police circled the area with crime scene tape to keep morning walkers clear of the area as the bomb squad responded to the area

Police Lt. Paul Carmona said the bomb was less than a foot long and was taken outside the bathroom before police arrived and detonated in the immediate area. The library is just east of the railroad tracks and mid-way between Center Street and Yosemite Avenue. 

The bathrooms are south of the library building by about 150 feet. One librarian said when she reported to work at about the same time it was located she noted that the yellow crime scene tape was already up in place warning the public of possible danger.

Bomb squad officer Sgt. Greg Beall said the device was outside the bathrooms in the grass when he arrived on the scene. One witness said the city worker had picked it up and carried it out of the bathroom and put it down in the grass.

Beall said he and his crew addressed the bomb just where they found it and detonated it at that location.  He said it was believed to have been a “hoax” device and not the real thing.  Most pipe bombs they are called out to address on a monthly basis are mostly fake bombs, he said.   

Some have been the real thing where they have had to approach the device with the department’s robot that includes a camera for officer safety. 

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.