Northeast News Staff

A man now charged with leaving explosive devices near the Liberty Memorial was arrested Wednesday afternoon in a parking lot on Independence Boulevard — an arrest witnessed firsthand by staff members at the Northeast News.

Authorities later confirmed the suspect as Owen I. Canizales Argueta, 22, who prosecutors say placed a bag containing multiple homemade explosive devices in a trash can on the grounds of the National World War I Museum and Memorial last month.

The arrest occurred shortly after noon on Wednesday, March 3, outside of the Cricket Store near the intersection of Independence Boulevard and Chestnut Trafficway.

As witnessed by Northeast News staff members Bryan Stalder and Dorri Partain from the newspaper’s storefront office at 2659 Independence Blvd., numerous Kansas City Police Department vehicles converged on the parking lot shared by Cricket Wireless and LIT Smoke Shop at 2706 Independence Blvd.

Within minutes, officers detained a male suspect and took him into custody without incident.

Police soon closed Independence Boulevard from Prospect Avenue to Chestnut Trafficway as a precaution, temporarily affecting nearby businesses and traffic in the busy commercial corridor.

The Northeast News alerted residents to the police activity through its social media platforms as officers secured the scene.

Shortly after the arrest, KCPD’s Bomb and Arson Unit arrived to examine the suspect’s vehicle, described as a black four-door Honda Civic.

At approximately 1:45 p.m., the department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robot was deployed to examine the vehicle’s trunk while a technician in full protective gear stood nearby.

Several items were removed by the EOD robot, including a pink and black gym bag.  A full search of the vehicle was later completed by a single officer and the investigation was completed without incident around 3:30 pm.

By 3:45 pm, officers reopened the closed road sections to traffic.

In response to an inquiry from The Northeast News, Officer Jacob Becchina, KCPD Media Unit offered this statement:

“Officers were conducting a traffic stop at the location when they became alerted to the possibility of a suspicious/explosive item in the vehicle. Out of an abundance of caution officers notified Bomb and Arson to investigate the scene. They closed off the area as a precaution and examined the contents of the vehicle. One person was detained for further investigation.” 

Court documents filed Wednesday, March 3 reveal that the suspect had already been under investigation for an incident at the National World War I Museum and Memorial.

According to prosecutors, custodial staff discovered a suspicious bag inside a trash can near 2 Memorial Drive on Feb. 24.

Kansas City police determined the bag contained 20 homemade “M” explosive devices, a commonly produced type of tubular explosive.

Investigators say surveillance footage showed a black Honda Civic arriving at the memorial shortly before the bag was placed in the trash can. The driver was seen removing the bag from the passenger seat and placing it in the receptacle.

Using city traffic cameras and license plate reader technology, detectives tracked the vehicle and identified the owner as Canizales Argueta.

Additional surveillance footage from a nearby business reportedly helped investigators confirm his identity by matching the driver’s face with a Missouri Department of Revenue photograph.

On Wednesday, the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office charged Canizales Argueta with 20 counts of possession of an illegal explosive.

Each count carries a possible penalty of up to seven years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

In a statement, Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said the case demonstrates the region’s commitment to safety as Kansas City prepares to host major international events.

“Jackson County does not tolerate threats — not to our landmarks, not to our gathering places and not to our neighborhoods,” Johnson said. “With the World Cup just 100 days away, we’re prepared and committed to holding anyone who seeks to harm this community accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Court records indicate Canizales Argueta, originally from Richmond, California, remains in custody on a $100,000 cash-only bond.

Canizales Argueta was arrested on Independence Blvd. on March 3 without incident.

Photos by Dorri Partain, video screenshot by Bryan Stalder.