Two Arrested After Explosive Device Thrown at Occupied Mesa Police Car
MESA, Arizona — November 14, 2026. Two men face felony charges after authorities say an improvised explosive device was thrown toward an occupied Mesa police patrol vehicle early Thursday, November 12. The explosion damaged the vehicle and sent an officer to the hospital for evaluation. Police say the officer was later released.
Christopher Patrick Byassee, 57, and Christopher David Jones, 55, were arrested following an investigation that included surveillance footage and examination of blast debris. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Explosion near 96th Street and Sunland Avenue
According to police and court documents reported by ABC15 Arizona and Arizona’s Family, officers initially responded around 6 a.m. to an unrelated report of shots fired near 96th Street and Hampton Avenue. An officer then stopped near 96th Street and Sunland Avenue with the patrol car’s emergency lights activated and windows down. Investigators allege Byassee lit and threw an explosive device from a nearby patio toward the patrol car.
The device reportedly rolled near the rear driver’s-side tire and detonated, damaging the fuel door and taillight and leaving scorch marks and residue. The officer drove to cover and later reported ringing in his ears. He was evaluated at a hospital and released.
Surveillance video and bomb squad findings
A neighbor’s surveillance camera reportedly captured two men standing together outside a home. Investigators say one lit an object and threw it toward the patrol car, and it exploded seconds later. Mesa police bomb squad detectives confirmed that an improvised explosive device had detonated. Police reported finding small cardboard fragments and scorch marks near the scene.
During a search of the home, investigators recovered lighters, a butane torch and firearms. Police said the homeowner was not involved in the explosion.
Suspects and charges
Christopher Patrick Byassee, 57, faces eight felony counts, including aggravated assault on a first responder, arson of an occupied structure, depositing explosives, criminal damage and weapons-related charges. His secured bond was set at $500,000.
Christopher David Jones, 55, faces arson of an occupied structure and criminal damage charges. Investigators allege he helped conceal Byassee’s actions from the officer’s view. His secured bond was set at $200,000.
Both defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. According to ABC15, status conferences are scheduled for November 19 and preliminary hearings for November 23.
Is the public still at risk?
Mesa police described the explosion as an isolated incident and said they did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community. The original shots-fired report was unrelated to the blast. A nearby school was briefly locked down as a precaution before that restriction was lifted.
What remains unanswered
Investigators have not publicly established a broader motive or confirmed a link to organized terrorism. Reporting reviewed for this article documents one detonated improvised explosive device, not a verified discovery of multiple explosives throughout Mesa.
Sources: ABC15 Arizona, November 14; Arizona’s Family, November 13; ABC15 initial police reporting.
Featured image is a Brownstone Worldwide editorial illustration, not a photograph of the incident.
