Colorado Borders bombing suspect David Lawless

Although the FBI is in charge of the investigation, local police say they think they’ve captured the man who placed two bombs in a Borders bookstore located in a shopping mall outside Denver last weekend … although they didn’t know they’d captured him.

According to a Reuters wire story, police in Lakewood, Colorado had arrested Jonathan Lawless, 30, for drunken driving and resisting arrest shortly after the break-in.

Neither the FBI nor the US Attorney’s office would comment, but Lakewood Police Chief Kevin Paletta said Lawless is the “prime suspect.” According to Reuters, “Paletta said he wanted to reassure the public that the suspected bomber was off the streets.” Paletta added that Lawless “is not connected to any extremist or terrorist group” and didn’t target the Borders store for any particular reason. Paletta did not say why Lawless was the lead suspect. Was it his name? The mysterious “item” found at the scene (as per the earlier MobyLives report)?

A Denver Post report at least notes that “Lawless pleaded guilty in 2005 to possession of an incendiary device in Arapahoe County and illegal weapon possession. He was sentenced to two years of probation.” That incident involved a “dry ice bomb,” and Lawless told police in a written confession, “I was just trying to pull a prank. I know I was really stupid and I will not try it ever again. I am really sorry for all the trouble I caused.”