SF’s Hall of Justice evacuated after ‘incendiary device’ ignites; arrest made

The Hall of Justice, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in San Francisco, Calif. The Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to approve three property leases that would allow various city departments to move out of the old Hall of Justice, but three supervisors might hold up the process because they think the city should purchase new buildings rather than lease them. less The Hall of Justice, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017, in San Francisco, Calif. The Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to approve three property leases that would allow various city departments to move ... more Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close SF’s Hall of Justice evacuated after ‘incendiary device’ ignites; arrest made 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

A 42-year-old woman was arrested after igniting a “small incendiary device” near the security checkpoint Thursday morning inside San Francisco’s Hall of Justice, forcing dozens of people to evacuate, police said.

The suspect, identified as Djuquetta Jones, was detained by sheriff’s deputies shortly after lighting a large firecracker near the building’s entrance around 11:20 a.m., officials said.

Deputies sprayed the firework with a fire extinguisher while alarms blared inside the seven-story building at 850 Bryant St., which houses the county’s criminal courts, district attorney’s office, County Jail No. 4 and some police units.

Firefighters searched the building before allowing everyone back in around 1:35 p.m. once it was deemed safe.

Jones was booked in San Francisco Jail on suspicion of arson, possession of combustible material, explosion of a destructive device with intent to injure and unlawfully possessing fireworks.

She was on probation for a previous second-degree commercial burglary arrest, according to jail records.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky