Several residents in La Mesa were forced to evacuate or shelter in place Monday after police found two explosive devices in a home where a man had apparently shot himself, authorities said.

A bomb squad used a robot water cannon to destroy the homemade devices, La Mesa police Lt. Brian Stoney said.

The explosives were discovered after a social worker called police to ask that they check on the man at the “granny flat” on Olive Avenue near University Avenue about 1:20 p.m. Officers found the resident, in his mid 80s, dead in a bedroom, Stoney said.

The man had suffered apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, Stoney said.


The lieutenant said the man and his landlord had been engaged in an ongoing dispute.

While officers were in the home, they spotted a suspicious device in the living room. A bomb squad was called to investigate it. A second device later was discovered in a shed.

Neighbors in close proximity to the home were asked to evacuate, while others farther away were asked to shelter in place, Stoney said. A stretch of Olive was closed.

Residents were allowed back into their homes shortly before 6 p.m.


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