Authorities have arrested a 44-year-old woman who they say is a person of interest after an explosion was reported in the bathroom of a suburban Chicagoland Target store Wednesday, according to Evanston Police.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. Wednesday, according to Commander Joseph Dugan with Evanston Police.
“Evanston Police and Fire Departments were called to the Target Store in the 2200 block of Howard Street for a minor explosion that occurred in the women's bathroom,” Dugan said in a written statement.
No injuries were reported, and damage was confined to a stall inside of the bathroom, he said.
Police and fire personnel secured the scene and requested assistance from the Cook County Bomb Squad prior to collecting any evidence.
Authorities believe that the explosion may have initiated from a plastic bottle that was observed in the stall.
Police are investigating the motive and said, at “this point there is no indication that the incident is related to any policies that the Target store has in place.”
The store has recently made headlines for its transgender bathroom policy.
To date, no charges have been filed, and police are not currently looking for any additional suspects.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Evanston Police Department detective division at (847) 866-5040.
