FARGO - A Fargo man was arrested Monday morning, March 13, after being accused of claiming he had a bomb, forcing the evacuation of dozens of apartments in the 1100 block of 42nd Street South.

Officers responded to reports of a man slashing tires at about 1:45 a.m.

A man suspected in the tire slashings was also reported to have pulled fire alarms in five apartment buildings in the area, according to Fargo Deputy Police Chief Joe Anderson.

About 50 people and their pets took shelter at the Hornbacher’s across from West Acres mall on 13th Avenue South.

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Anderson said when officers located a suspect, they noticed that his backpack had a cellphone with wires attached to it that went into the interior of the backpack.

Anderson said there was also a small butane tank in the backpack’s outer pouch.

The suspect said the backpack was a bomb and he refused to cooperate, Anderson said.

The Red River Valley SWAT Bomb Team responded and used a robot to examine and X-ray the device, Anderson said.

After the robot “disrupted” the device, it was examined and determined not to be an explosive device, the deputy chief said.

Anderson said Dustin A. Depiano, 28, of Fargo was arrested on a failure-to-appear warrant and on suspicion of terrorizing.

Depiano was later charged in Cass County District Court with terrorizing and criminal mischief.

Matt Leiseth, president of Hornbacher’s grocery stores, said about 50 residents from nearby apartments showed up at the Village West Hornbacher’s at 4101 13th Ave. S.

“They were able to come in and at least be warm and safe and just kind of ride it out until authorities said they could go back,” Leiseth said, adding that the displaced residents were in the store for about five to six hours.

FARGO - Dozens of people were forced out of their apartments early Monday morning, March 13, after a man claiming to have a bomb caused a disturbance in the 1100 block of 42nd Street South.

Officers responded to reports of a man slashing tires at about 1:45 a.m.

A man suspected in the tire slashings was also reported to have pulled fire alarms in five apartment buildings in the area, according to Fargo Deputy Police Chief Joe Anderson.

About 50 people and their pets took shelter at the Hornbacher’s across from West Acres mall on 13th Avenue South.

Anderson said when officers located a suspect, they noticed that his backpack had a cellphone with wires attached to it that went into the interior of the backpack.

Anderson said there was also a small butane tank in the backpack’s outer pouch.

The suspect said the backpack was a bomb and he refused to cooperate, Anderson said.

The Red River Valley SWAT Bomb Team responded and used a robot to examine and X-ray the device, Anderson said.

After the robot “disrupted” the device, it was examined and determined not to be an explosive device, the deputy chief said.

Anderson said Dustin A. Depiano, 28, of Fargo was arrested on a failure-to-appear warrant and on suspicion of terrorizing.

Depiano was later charged in Cass County District Court with terrorizing and criminal mischief.

Matt Leiseth, president of Hornbacher’s grocery stores, said about 50 residents from nearby apartments showed up at the Village West Hornbacher’s at 4101 13th Ave. S.

“They were able to come in and at least be warm and safe and just kind of ride it out until authorities said they could go back,” Leiseth said, adding that the displaced residents were in the store for about five to six hours.