Salt Lake man convicted of possession of weapons of mass destruction

Ryan McManigal, a man from South Jordan, in Salt Lake County, Utah, has been convicted of possessing weapons of mass destruction and assaulting a peace officer in a confrontation with police.

The incident, which occurred in July 2020, involved McManigal shooting officers and having explosives at his home. The situation led to the evacuation of nearby homes and businesses.

Due to the dangerous nature of the explosives, city officials were forced to demolish McManigal’s home to ensure public safety, The Salt Lake Tribune reports.

In July 2020, police arrested Ryan McManigal after a confrontation outside his South Jordan residence.

During the confrontation, he fired at officers in an armored vehicle. After he was handed over, authorities discovered 20 pounds of explosives inside his home. McManigal claimed that these explosives had the potential to damage the entire block of his neighborhood.

Explosive substance identified at McManigal home

The explosive substance found at the McManigal home was identified as triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly volatile and dangerous compound.

Bomb experts safely removed some of the material, but some remained in the basement, posing a significant threat to the surrounding area.

To safeguard the public, approximately 600 homes and 30 businesses were evacuated. Later, a bomb squad detonated the remaining explosive material.

City officials determined that the McManigal home could not be saved, as not all of the hazardous material could be safely removed. Therefore, the decision was made to demolish the property, according to KUTV.

The investigation into McManigal began when he made threatening calls to a local restaurant. Authorities discovered that he had firearms and explosives, which were prohibited due to a protection order against him.

The City of South Jordan subsequently filed a lawsuit against McManigal, claiming that his home posed a danger to the community and needed to be demolished.

McManigal’s conviction on six counts of possession of weapons of mass destruction and two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer has serious legal consequences. His actions endangered the lives of hundreds of South Jordan residents, leading to aggressive prosecution by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

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