❓WHAT HAPPENED: A man accused of planting an explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base has fled to China, while his sister is now in custody after both were charged in connection with the incident.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alen Zheng, 20, and his sister Ann Mary Zheng, 27, both face federal charges, with U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe overseeing the case.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident began on March 10, 2026, outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, with subsequent developments involving flights to China and an arrest in Detroit.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Why it didn’t detonate at the time is a question we’d like to ask Mr. Zheng,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe.
🎯IMPACT: Federal officials are actively working to extradite Alen Zheng back to the United States while continuing the investigation into the motive and circumstances surrounding the incident.
Federal officials have announced that a 20-year-old Florida man, Alen Zheng, has fled to China after allegedly planting an explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. His sister, Ann Mary Zheng, 27, is now in custody, facing charges of witness tampering and acting as an accessory after the fact.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), on March 10, a 911 call was placed warning of a bomb near the base’s visitor center. However, an initial sweep did not find any evidence of a bomb or similar device. However, six days later, an Air Force service member discovered an improvised explosive device capable of causing harm or death. U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida Gregory Kehoe described the device as being in a secluded location near the visitors center.
“You have something in a secluded location and hidden in the visitors center, and it just took a little bit more time to get there,” Kehoe stated, adding, “If you’re going to examine our more sensitive assets on the MacDill Air Force Base, not that the visitors center isn’t an important asset, but obviously, Central Command is there.”
On Thursday, federal investigators revealed that Alen Zheng, after placing the bomb on March 10, sold the vehicle he drove to MacDill on March 11. Subsequently, both Alen Zheng and Ann Mary Zheng fled to the People’s Republic of China on March 12. However, on March 17, Ann Mary Zheng returned to the United States and was arrested in Detroit, Michigan. Evidence found at their Land O’Lakes home included items consistent with constructing the explosive device, as well as traces of explosive residue in the vehicle they sold.
Kehoe emphasized the ongoing efforts to bring Alen Zheng back to the United States, stating, “Our last notification is that he is in the People’s Republic of China, as we speak.” The motive behind the incident remains unclear, and authorities are investigating why the device did not detonate.
Meanwhile, federal officials confirmed that no charges have been filed against the Zheng siblings’ mother, who was present at the home, though she is currently in custody for deportation proceedings.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.
