MILWAUKEE — A suspect is facing two charges after he allegedly set off explosive devices in Milwaukee on Monday.
48-year-old Dennis Beard is facing two counts of possession of improvised explosive devices in connection to the incident.
According to a criminal complaint, Milwaukee Police responded to a parking structure near Potawatomi Hotel and Casino for reports that a small explosive device had been detonated.
Upon arrival, officers found a liquid chemical compound on the floor of the parking garage, along with some aluminum foil and green pieces of plastic.
Police reviewed surveillance footage in the area which revealed someone in a Subaru Outback drove to the detonation site, set down two green bottles, and drove off.
A few minutes later, one of the bottles exploded and a puff of smoke rose from the bottle. Two minutes after, a criminal complaint says the second bottle started to smoke but it did not explode. No one was in the area when the explosion went off.
The suspect driving the Subaru then went into the casino and provided an ID to get a player's card. Officers checked casino records and identified the suspect as Beard.
Police learned Beard lives in New Berlin, so New Berlin Police and Milwaukee Police responded to his home. Beard gave the officers permission to search his property.
While searching, a complaint states officers found the clothes Beard was wearing when he went to the casino as well as more chemicals and bottles.
The officers conducted a Mirandized interview, at which time the suspect confessed to watching YouTube videos to learn how to make explosives.
He told the officers he'd tried it once before in a dumpster near his father's house and said it was really loud. Beard also admitted to dropping off the explosives in the casino parking lot. He said he drove to the next floor and heard it go off.
Beard told police his actions were stupid.
If convicted, the suspect could face a maximum of 12 years in prison.
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