Evanston Police Department (EPD) says that there is no connection between a June 8 explosion in the women's room of a Target store and the retail chain's support of transgender patrons and staff.
A 44-year-old female whom EPD calls a "person of interest" is in custody after a minor explosion took place the afternoon of June 8 at the Target Store in the 2200 block of Howard Street. No charges have yet been filed in the matter.
Commander Joseph Dugan, an EPD spokesperson, told Windy City Times June 10 that detectives had completed their investigation, and that the Cook County State's Attorney was reviewing the case.
"We did not find anything having to do with the issue of Target and transgender individuals," Dugan said. "We were looking into itwe know that something had just passed in the [Chicago] city council the same daybut we can say that this incident had nothing to do with that."
The Minneapolis-based retail chain has been under fire from right-wing elements since it expressed support for transgender customers and staff in April by affirming their right to use the washroom facilities of the gender with which they identify. Opponents of the policy attempted a large-scale boycott of Target in response, and several individuals protested its shareholders' meeting in Costa Mesa, California, on June 8. Transgender customers and their allies in Chicago were among those who held a demonstration in support, on June 4, at the Uptown Target.
According to an EPD statement, Evanston Police and Fire Departments were called to the store after the explosion occurred in the women's bathroom. There were no reported injuries and the damage was confined to one stall. Investigators believe the explosion may have originated from a plastic bottle.
Detectives are not currently looking for any known additional suspects and said the store had received no threats ahead of the incident. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Evanston Police Department detective division at (847) 866-5040.