Bomb scare shuts Edmonton freeway for hours

According to local radio (630 CHED)

"A lot of excitement in a Southeast Edmonton neighbourhood on Tuesday night.

Police pulled over a reported stolen car at the Burger Baron on 82nd avenue and 70th street. Inside were two men and a suspicious package.

As a precaution, people in the area were evacuated, a number of streets in the area were cordoned off and the bomb squad was called in.

It turned out the package was indeed an explosive device, which was eventually removed from the area.

Elrond Lee Smith, 39, is facing numerous charges including possession of an explosive device, while 35-year-old Heath Sliter was picked up on an outstanding warrant.

Both men are from Edmonton.

As for the car - it was reported stolen in Swift Current, Saskatchewan."

This was posted on their website at 10:49PM last night. Why didn't the CBC have something up until 8:27 this morning? Why were the details not included? Somebody at CBC in Edmonton needs to get their act together.

CBC Edmonton has been in a downhill slide for decades. It's not surprising.

Global had this as the lead story at 5pm and 6pm newscasts.

Time for some Gatorade...

He shouldn't try to run with all the goalie equipment on.

He shouldn't try to run with all the goalie equipment on.

Yeah, on our block it was always the d-men's job to move the net when the cars drove by...

Yeah, on our block it was always the d-men's job to move the net when the cars drove by...

And on the Sherwood Park freeway too, every 5 seconds would have been "Car!". That's why he got dehydrated. Should have let the Robot do it.

lol at the above!

Oh my, a bomb on Whyte Ave, that's not news you hear every day. I live fairly close to Whyte Ave when I'm in Edmonton, but I'm waaaaay down the road from there.

In any case, alternate link from CTV. Alternative Globe and Mail link. Not much more there, but the news has been expanded on a bit in both articles from what was provided by CBC Edmonton.

Two men, in their thirties, one 39, Elrond Lee Smith and Heath Sliter, both Edmonton residents. Both are facing several charges, including some outstanding warrants for at least one of the men. The use or yield of the explosive device has not been mentioned yet, but according to CTV it's because the Edmonton Police have not yet provided that information.

A few folks think it was for a gas line sabotage or something of the like, but that's mostly just gossip from friends I've got up there. I don't think the intended use of the weapon has been disclosed by the police either. Not from anything I've read, at least.