Evacuations Lifted, Detonations Completed After Explosives Found In South Jordan Home

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – Officials with the South Jordan Police Department said two detonations have been completed at a home where explosive materials were found.

Approximately 168 homes, 34 businesses and 600 residents in South Jordan were evacuated after the materials were found Friday, according to Rachael Van Cleave, public information officer for the city of South Jordan.

Those evacuation orders were lifted just after 10 p.m. Friday.

The operation went as well as it could have and residents who were evacuated may return to their homes safely,” police said.

UPDATE: South Jordan city officials just announced the evacuation has been lifted as of right now. Previously had been in place through 10:00 a.m. tomorrow @KSL5TV #KSLTV #Utah

— Andrew Adams (@AndrewAdamsKSL) July 25, 2020

Officials began door-to-door evacuations and emergency messages were sent to homes and businesses between 3200 West and Bangerter Highway, and 10200 South to 10400 South.

The evacuations came after police said a man told them he had a bomb and police found “explosive materials” in his home near 3400 West and 10400 South early Friday morning. Originally, only 14 homes and a few nearby businesses were evacuated.

“The officer just told me it may be a very powerful substance, so it could be a bad explosive and we don’t want to be anywhere near it,” said neighbor Theron Hall.

LISTEN: The first of two scheduled detonations has been completed at a South Jordan home where explosive materials were found.

A second detonation is planned for later this evening, according to @SoJoPoliceFire. #KSLTV

Updates here: https://t.co/Fbn48bOnPo pic.twitter.com/WxM97bFwoU

— KSL 5 TV (@KSL5TV) July 25, 2020

Officials said the first detonation was heard in the area because it was initiated in the upper levels of the home.

A second detonation was completed in the basement just after 9 p.m. Friday.

Van Cleave said local and federal experts were called to the scene earlier in the day and they determined the materials were too volatile to remove from the structure.

“They determined they cannot remove it safely from the home,” she said. “That means they will have to detonate the substance to get rid of it safely.”

Officials have determined that residents outside of the voluntary evacuation zone are safe to stay in their homes. As the investigation continues, we'll update the public if anything changes.

— South Jordan Public Safety (@SoJoPoliceFire) July 24, 2020

Van Cleave added city officials and police were not discussing the exact composition of the explosive substance or chemicals “because of the sensitivity of the subject.”

Officials said the evacuations will last until 10 a.m. Saturday, and they urged the public to avoid the area.

“Nobody should be coming up to try to see what happens when this stuff gets detonated,” Van Cleave said. “That’s unsafe and we want to keep everyone around us safe.”

Officials said they were working to mitigate any damages to the home where the explosive materials were found.

“We have been in contact with Mayor Ramsey and public safety on this evolving situation,” Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said in a tweet. “Grateful for the incredible work of South Jordan PD and other law enforcement to prevent an unthinkable evil.”

Lt. Matt Pennington with the South Jordan Police Department said the suspect, Ryan McManigal, sent threatening text messages and calls about a mass shooting to a store in a nearby Walmart shopping center.

Police began their investigation last Saturday and learned McManigal had several guns he was not allowed to own in his possession.

Pennington said officers served a search warrant at the home Thursday night, and McManigal fired shots at the officers. No injuries were reported and McManigal was taken into custody.

“The scary part was as soon as negotiators made contact with him, he immediately became adversarial and started firing rounds at officers,” he said.

McManigal was booked into jail on over two dozen charges, most of them first-degree felonies.

Once in custody, McManigal told investigators he had materials that could make a bomb.

“We knew he had weapons, which is why we served the warrant last night,” Pennington said. “But we did not have any intel or information that he had these types of explosives involved. There’s still some more investigation to be done and some more people to track down to really figure out what his intent is.”