Explosive detonated outside Alabama attorney general’s office, authorities say

An explosive detonated outside Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s (R) office in Montgomery, officials announced Monday.

Marshall said in a statement the explosive device detonated outside his office in “the early hours” Saturday. The statement did not provide further details on what kind of explosive device it was or why it was set off near the office, but it noted no one was injured.

“Thankfully, no staff or personnel were injured by the explosion. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will be leading the investigation, and we are urging anyone with information to contact them immediately,” the statement said.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said its special agents were notified Saturday at 8:19 a.m. local time of a suspicious package near Washington Avenue and South Bainbridge Street in Montgomery.

“It was determined that the suspicious package was an explosive device that was detonated in the early morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 24,” the agency said in a statement, adding “no injuries or damage to nearby buildings have been reported.”

This comes about a week after the Alabama Supreme Court issued a controversial ruling stating that frozen embryos should be considered people. Since then, a handful of in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics have halted their services.

On Friday, Marshall’s chief counsel said he “has no intention of using the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision as a basis for prosecuting IVF. families or providers.” Lawmakers from Alabama’s state legislature are looking for ways to protect IVF treatments.

Authorities have not provided any possible motives behind the explosive and asked for the public’s help for more information.

The Hill has reached out to the state attorney general’s office for additional comment.