Court documents detail investigation into suspect of downtown Colorado Springs explosion
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A homemade explosive device went off near downtown Colorado Springs on Jan 12, 2024. The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) says that the explosion damaged the windows of a business in the area of 548 E. Costilla Street.
CSPD says that officers responded to calls of an explosion near downtown Colorado Springs. Patrol officers found evidence of an improvised explosive device (IED) and called in the Regional Explosives Unit (REU) to take over the investigation.
CSPD officers obtained a video that shows what CSPD said appeared to be an improvised hot air balloon with an object hanging from it on fire. The balloon caught on a fence and then exploded, blasting out the windows of a business. Officers found the balloon still snagged on the fence.
Court documents say that responding REU officers found PVC Pex tubing and 3M plastic sheeting. They also saw wires tied across the balloon that suspended the fuel source.
According to court documents, REU officers had investigated two other explosions in the immediate area in the past 12 years.
On Dec. 29, 2011, CSPD says an officer was dispatched to an explosion in the area of S. Prospect St. and E. Vermijo Ave. Neighbors told police they had been hearing explosions for months. Officers heard two explosions while responding. The officer, a trained and experienced bomb technician, said the explosion was "so energetic that he feared for his safety and sought hard-cover from the blast."
Court documents say that the officer did make contact with the occupant of the house, identified as Edward Kiley, who admitted to setting off "homemade M80s." the investigation revealed that Kiley was making homemade explosives and explosive devices in his house. Kiley also admitted he launched some of the devices into the air. After pleading guilty, Kiley served 4 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Court documents show that on Feb. 16, 2018, CSPD officers were dispatched to the same area of S. Prospect St and E. Vermijo Ave for a possible explosion. The reporting party said that they heard an explosion and saw smoke coming from the house. Responding officers found Kiley who had sustained injuries to his arm. Kiley told officers that someone threw something through his window, there was a "pop", and the ceiling collapsed. Officers swept the house and found several windows had been blown out, a large black hole with char marks in the ceiling, a heavy smoke presence, and a collapsed ceiling in the living room. Officers located eight explosive devices filled with homemade explosives and evidence of a butane hash oil extraction operation. Kiley took a plea agreement and was sentenced to another 6 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Court documents say that Kiley's residence is one city block away from where the balloon-like object exploded. REU officers confirmed that Kiley still lived there and had been out of prison since July of 2020.
On Jan. 15, 2024, a REU officer saw Kiley park a black F350 truck in front of the residence. There was an older, gray Dodge pickup also parked in from of the residence. Police confirmed both trucks belonged to Kiley.
Court documents state that video obtained by officers showed the gray truck driving to the area of the explosion with an object in the bed made out of a "plastic-type material." A short time later the balloon is seen rising from the alley and the gray Dodge leaves without the object in the truck bed. No other vehicle or person was observed entering or leaving the alleyway where the explosion occurred in the available video.
Court documents detail that an officer with the REU examined photographs of the debris and saw the Pex tubing had a barcode and model number. That officer determined that pipe could only be bought in person in Colorado Springs at Home Depot. The officer listed Kiley as a person of interest and found records showing he purchased the Pex pipe.
Court documents say that officers searched Kiley's residence and found Pex tubing, black powder, ammunition, "hobby fuze" used for igniting fireworks, drugs, and plastic sheeting that matched the sheeting recovered from the original scene.
Kiley now faces charges of First Degree Arson, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession, Use, or Removal of Explosive or Incendiary Devices- Possession of Components thereof- Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Weapons- Persons Exempt- Hoaxes, and Criminal Mischief.
