Bomb Threat Saturday Morning
The REST of the story...
Saturday morning, February 25, 2023, Marietta officers received notification from Cobb County 911 dispatch that a call/tip had come in at 8:13 AM indicating that a pickup truck parked in the area near the East Gate shopping plaza (1800 Lower Roswell Road) may have some sort of a bomb or explosive device in the back. Marietta Officers proceeded to the area and made contact with the vehicle owner, thirty-seven-year-old Robert Devlin from Lincoln Alabama. Based on the circumstances and statements made by Devlin, officers determined the threat to be credible and immediately began evacuating the area. Devlin was taken into custody without incident and the surrounding businesses were notified and requested to evacuate. Cobb Sheriff Deputies, Cobb County Police Officers, Marietta Fire personnel, and Cobb Fire personnel all arrived to assist with the evacuation and traffic control. Cobb County Police Department (CCPD) Bomb Squad was called to the scene and our partners at the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were notified and responded to the scene. Around noon, a device resembling a pipe bomb was removed from the truck and secured by the CCPD bomb technicians. The rest of the vehicle was methodically searched via robot. Once determined to be free of other devices, the suspect vehicle was impounded, and the area was reopened to the public around 3:00 PM.
Devlin was interviewed at the Marietta Police Department before being charged and booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center (CCADC) under warrant 23-W-1756. It was determined he was the 911 caller, as well as the owner and operator of the pickup truck containing the device. Due to inconsistencies in his statements, and lack of knowledge of the contents of the suspected pipe bomb, Devlin was initially charged with: False Report of a Crime (M), Destructive Devices – Hoax Device (M), and False Public Alarm (F).
Several hours later, our detectives were notified that CCPD had safely opened the suspected pipe bomb and determined that while it did contain some explosive elements, it lacked other components necessary for it to be considered a fully assembled explosive device. Based on this new information, the ATF and FBI have both declined to adopt the case and the initial warrant accurately describes the charges Devlin will face. He remains incarcerated at CCADC facing a $60,000 bond.
The investigation remains open, and it is unclear why he traveled to Marietta, or called 911 on himself. Anyone with information is urged to contact MPD Detective Bollinger at 770-794-5345.
THANK YOU to the agencies and business owners who all rallied together to help keep the public safe!
