Man facing federal charges in Costilla Street explosion

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — A man who allegedly built an improvised balloon to deliver an explosive device that damaged numerous buildings east of Downtown Colorado Springs in January is now facing federal charges, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

69-year-old Edward Kiley was arrested on Jan. 23, 2024 after he was identified as a suspect in the Jan. 12 explosion near 548 East Costilla Street. Kiley was not only a suspect in the Costilla Street explosion, but was also suspected to be responsible for other explosions around the city, and he had previously been arrested and charged in an explosion in 2018 that occurred at his home.

Kiley was identified in the Costilla case partly through security footage from the night of the explosion, which showed a truck matching the one belonging to Kiley driving into an alleyway between 548 and 542 East Costilla Street with some kind of plastic sheeting in the bed of the truck.

After entering the alleyway, what appeared to be a balloon could be seen on the security footage floating away from the alley and becoming lodged on a chain link fence near 548 Costilla Street. The device then exploded, causing damage to buildings as far as 50 feet away.

Kiley was arrested on multiple charges, including Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession or Use of an Explosive or Incendiary Device, and Criminal Mischief.

On Friday, June 28, Kiley was indicted on two federal charges tied to CSPD’s investigation of the Costilla Street explosion.

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