Law enforcement used old-fashioned detective work to track down the man who planted two explosive devices at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, Florida.
The property had to be evacuated twice following the discovery of the bombs in bathrooms in late September.
The authorities held a joint press conference on Thursday announcing the arrest of Brian Eckley following a collaborative investigation involving the FBI, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Seminole Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
A special agent involved in tracking down the culprit explained how they initially had zero leads and “nothing to go on.” After reviewing surveillance footage, they noticed a man acting peculiarly at the casino three days before the incident.
bought it using an alias, cash, and a burner phone
They tracked down the unique white truck he drove and found the vehicle’s previous owner, who revealed Eckley bought it using an alias, cash, and a burner phone to arrange the deal.
Police had even arrested the suspect a couple of days before the bomb incident for aggravated assault with a firearm. The authorities linked forensic evidence in the two cases, getting a match.
Eckley, who went so far as altering his gait while walking through the casino, faces up to 30 years in prison.