Explosive device detonates outside Alabama Attorney General's Office
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (FOX)
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - An explosive device was detonated outside the Alabama Attorney General's Office in Montgomery over the weekend, law enforcement confirmed on Monday.
It happened during the early hours of Saturday and prompted a swift response from state officials and law enforcement agencies. Attorney General Steve Marshall, addressing the incident, provided reassurance that no staff or personnel were harmed in the explosion.
The incident has shaken the local community and government officials alike, as investigations into the matter are now in full swing. "In the early hours of Saturday, February 24, an explosive device was detonated outside the Alabama Attorney General's Office building in Montgomery," Marshall stated, emphasizing the gravity of the situation but also the relief that the explosion did not result in any physical injuries to office staff or bystanders.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) has taken the lead on the investigation, signaling the seriousness with which this incident is being treated. The authorities are currently piecing together the events leading up to the detonation and are actively seeking information from the public that may assist in identifying those responsible.
Attorney General Marshall's office has issued a call to action, urging anyone with information about the explosion to come forward. "The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency will be leading the investigation, and we are urging anyone with information to contact them immediately," Marshall announced, highlighting the collaborative effort between the public and law enforcement in addressing this criminal act.
ALEA has provided a contact number for the public to report any information related to the incident. Individuals with any knowledge of the events or individuals involved are encouraged to contact ALEA at (334) 676-7890. The call for public assistance underscores the importance of community involvement in ensuring public safety and bringing those responsible to justice.
Investigators to probe Alabama Supreme Court ruling as possible motive
One thing investigators will be looking into is if the explosive device is an attack in response to a state Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos could be considered children under a state law or Attorney General Marshall’s reaction.
Marshall announced last week he does not intend to prosecute in vitro fertilization providers or families.
In a statement, Katherin Robertson, chief counsel in the Alabama Attorney General's Office wrote:
"Attorney General Marshall has no intention of using the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision as a basis for prosecuting IVF families or providers."
The court’s ruling, treating the embryos the same as a child or gestating fetus under the wrongful death statute, raised questions about what legal liabilities clinics could face during IVF processes, including the freezing, testing and disposal of embryos. Three in vitro fertilization providers in Alabama paused their services in the aftermath of the ruling.
At the Fertility Institute of North Alabama, Dr. Brett Davenport said his clinic will continue providing IVF. But he also urged state policymakers to act and remove the uncertainty for providers.
"What we do could not be any more pro-life. We’re trying to help couples who can’t otherwise conceive a child," Davenport said.
The court ruled only that embryos are covered under Alabama’s wrongful death statute, said Mary Ziegler, a legal historian at the University of California, Davis School of Law. The court did not say embryos had full constitutional rights, she said, or at least not yet.
"I think people in Alabama are rightly expecting that this is the tip of the iceberg though, and this ruling will lead to more down the road," Ziegler said. She also said anti-abortion groups and politicians have been pushing to get some sort of ruling through the federal courts "that a fetus is a constitutional rights holder."
"It’s not just about in vitro, and it’s not just about Alabama. It’s part of this nationwide movement too," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this article. This story is being reported out of Atlanta