UPDATE: Alleged Antifa member targeted Florida rally with a bomb; more explosives found at his house

Garrett James Smith, 22, was arrested and found carrying an active pipe bomb, Antifa propaganda and a written document on what to bring for his direct action. He had recently returned from Portland, Ore.

ADVERTISEMENT
Image
Andy Ngo U.S.
ADVERTISEMENT

A man in full black bloc behaving suspiciously near a right-wing rally outside the Pinellas County Courthouse in Florida on Jan. 6 was apprehended by deputies after he tried fleeing on foot. Garrett James Smith, 22, was arrested and found carrying an active pipe bomb, Antifa propaganda and a written document on what to bring for his direct action. He had recently returned from Portland, Ore.

"He was running fast, he was running away from something," Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said at a press conference on Friday. Bomb squad investigators from the F.B.I., Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Tampa Police Deparment responded to the scene and determined the device was a "homemade M-type destructive device," according to the affidavit.

More explosives, tape and nails were found at the home of Antifa bombing suspect Garrett Smith

Smith was purportedly targeting dozens of the attendees of a rally protesting the treatment of Jan. 6 suspects on the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot.

An executed search warrant of Smith's residence he shares with his parents in Oldsmar, Fla. revealed more explosives, tape and nails for use in grenades. Bomb squad investigators from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and the Tampa Police responded to the home and determined the devices were homemade IEDs.

A search of Smith's home he shares with his parents in Oldsmar, Fla. revealed more explosives, tape and nails for use in grenades. Smith’s “direct action” checklist included a drawing of an umbrella, a symbol adopted by Antifa militants for their frequent use of black umbrellas to shield one another from cameras while they commit acts of violence or vandalism. The helmet found in his backpack during his arrest had the Antifa “iron front” symbol painted on it.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office displayed evidence obtained from Antifa bombing suspect Garrett Smith

Sheriff Gualtieri said that Smith is refusing to cooperate in the investigation. And although he stopped short of speculating on what possible motives Smith may have had and who he wanted to target, the arrest affidavit lists "ANTIFA" and anti-government violent extremism as aggravating factors in his arrest.

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit for Antifa bomb suspect Garrett James Smith

Smith has been charged with three counts of making, possessing or discharging a destructive device, in addition to a charge of loitering and prowling. He does not have a prior criminal history. His bail is set at over $300,000.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Join and support independent free thinkers!

We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.

Support The Post Millennial

Remind me next month

To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
ADVERTISEMENT
© 2024 The Post Millennial, Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information