Press release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation:
Update: (October 7, 2017) The person of interest, Michael Christopher Estes has been detained. A caller recognized him from media reports and he was detained by Asheville Police Department officers without incident this morning along Airport Road. The investigation is ongoing and will be turned over to federal authorities. Additional details will be released when appropriate by the FBI or the USAO of the Western District of North Carolina.
Press release from Asheville Police Department:
UPDATE (October 6, 2017): The person of interest has been identified as Michael Christopher Estes (6/11/1971). Estes is described as a white male with brown hair and brown eyes. He is 5’7″ tall and weighs approximately 200 pounds. He has multiple tattoos on his arms and wrists.
We encourage anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Estes to contact 9-1-1 or CrimeStoppers at 828-255-5050. If Estes is seen please do not approach him and contact 9-1-1 immediately.The Asheville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Asheville Regional Airport Police Department are working in coordination to conduct further investigation into this incident. No additional information is available at this time.As always we encourage the public to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
Press release from the Asheville Police Department:
Asheville, NC (October 6, 2017): At approximately 6:30 a.m. the Asheville Police Department’s Hazardous Device Team responded to reports of a suspicious package at the Asheville Regional Airport. The package was located by the Asheville Regional Airport Police Department. The explosive device was rendered safe by the Hazardous Device Team and removed from the Asheville Regional Airport.
We are requesting public assistance to locate a person of interest in this incident. The white male has been seen in multiple locations along Airport Road since Tuesday, October 3. We encourage anyone with information regarding the identity of this person of interest, or if anyone has seen a person matching this description, to please not approach him and immediately call 9-1-1.
The Asheville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Asheville Regional Airport Police Department are working in coordination to conduct further investigation into this incident. No additional information is available at this time.
As always we encourage the public to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
In October 2016 a 14 year-old on the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios was burned when an e-cigarette in the pocket of a man near her exploded and shot flames at her. In November 2015 a couple in a car traveling on I-79 in Pennsylvania were both burned and the car damaged by flames when an e-cigarette she was holding exploded, severely burning her hands. In August 2016 the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration issued an advisory against possession and use of e-cigarettes while driving.
In December 2016 an American Airlines MD80 flying from Dallas to Indianapolis had to divert in an emergency when an e-cigarette in a passenger pocket started a fire. Effective in May 2017 the U.S. Navy has prohibited both use and possession of e-cigarettes by anyone at all times on aircraft, ships and submarines. The cause of the fire that killed everyone on an EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo that crashed in May 2016 is unknown but it started in or near the restroom and EgyptAir crews are notorious for defying the rules by smoking in-flight, even when passengers protest, so the fire could have been started by someone hiding in the restroom using an e-cigarette which exploded, setting the airliner on fire. Recently attention has been focused on banning laptop computers from airliners as bomb threats yet none has been directed at e-cigarettes, which already have an e-liquid container of flammable fluids (propylene glycol and ethanol) which could easily be replaced with an explosive substance, plus a battery to power a detonator. Binary explosives smuggled in separate e-liquid vials are even harder to detect. To prevent deaths from accidental fires and terrorist bombs, e-cigarettes must be banned by the FAA from not only checked bags but also all carry-on bags, including pockets and purses. The Consumer Product Safety Commission must block importation of e-cigarettes and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration must ban possession and use of them at workplaces, including parking lots.