MONROE, MI -- The federal government is offering a $10,000 cash reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the car bombing incident that occured on Elm Street in Monroe, Michigan on Tuesday. Agent Donald Dawkins of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is leading the investigation. "This is a heinous crime that ocurred and we have an adult and two children that were injured in a car explosion," Agent Dawkins said. Injured in the blast were Erik Chappell and his two sons, aged 11 and 13.
Police say that a bomb that was placed on the passenger side of the car detonated around 5:41 p.m. as Chappell was driving himself and the two boys to football practice. The blast caused serious injuries to the legs of the boy sitting in the passenger side of the car.
Chappell was able to drag his two sons out of the burning car before emergency crews arrived. The trio was taken to Mercy St. Vincent's in Toledo.
Agent Dawkins would not comment about potential suspects but said they were able to talk to Chappell and that he was cooperative. "We have interviewed him, he was very cooperative and we will talk to him again because he might know something that is important," Agent Dawkins said.
Chappell works as an attorney at a law practice in Sylvania. The Monroe Evening News reported that Chappell had been receiving threats and may have been targeted because of his work in a high profile case involving a dispute between hot dog stand owners and the city of Monroe. The paper also reports that Chappell has been released from the hospital but that his two sons remain hospitalized.
The ATF is asking anyone with any information to call 1-800-ATFBOMB(1-800-284-2662).
To read more about this developing story log onto www.monroenews.com.
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