Police say man planted fake bomb outside DOC office

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — A man who planted a fake bomb outside of a Lakewood Department of Corrections office made his first court appearance Monday.

Police said 52-year-old Emil Haag was arrested Friday after planting a device that looked like a bomb outside of the State Department of Corrections office in Lakewood.

“It was a fake bomb that was left there, but definitely with the intention of intimidating and looking like a real explosive,” said assistant Chief Mike Zaro of the Lakewood Police Department.

According to police, Haag walked up to the office and told officers he was upset. He expressed anger at the department over property of his that he claims the department has.

Department of Corrections officers called in police because the device was convincing.   Police then called in a bomb squad.   Their investigation revealed the device was packed with nails.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Kevin McCarty was in court as Haag argued with a judge and his own attorney after they warned him not to make statements.

But Haag refused to stay quiet.

"You people are just stepping into some (expletive) that you can't wipe off," said Haag.

Authorities said Haag occasionally confronts people on the street for no reason, sometimes even pulling weapons and threatening complete strangers.

“He’ll intentionally get into arguments and fights with people and pull out knives.  He's  just becoming more and more violent as he becomes older, and his mental illness becomes worse,” Zaro said.

Police describe Haag as a habitual criminal with a long record who appears to be getting  more unstable and dangerous.

Haag's bail was set to $250,000.

KIRO