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       Federal authorities arrested a Florida lawyer this week on charges he fired bullets at an explosive device that was designed to damage or destroy a boundary wall on the grounds of the Chinese embassy in Washington, according to court files unsealed Wednesday in federal court.

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       A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent filed an arrest affidavit alleging that Christopher Rodriguez, of Panama City, Fla., placed 15 pounds of an “explosive mixture” outside the compound in the 3500 block of International Place NW in the early morning hours of Sept. 25.

       In the affidavit, filed in U.S. District Court in D.C., authorities accused Rodriguez, whose age was not provided, of firing at least one high-velocity bullet at a bookbag filled with explosive material about 12 feet from a wall and fence at the edge of the embassy compound along Van Ness Street NW.

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       Authorities said multiple shell casings were found along with bullet fragments near the wall. The agent wrote that it appears “one or more subjects attempted to detonate the explosives by shooting at the backpack from in or around that location.” Police said in the affidavit that reflective tape was put on the backpack as an apparent target.

       The documents do not offer a potential motive. Charges filed against Rodriguez include damaging property occupied by a foreign government and possessing explosive materials in the commission of a felony.

       According to the files, Rodriguez was arrested Nov. 4 in Lafayette, La., a day after he was spotted near his home in Panama City. The affidavit describes him as being licensed to practice law in Florida.

       Court documents filed U.S. District Court in the Western District of Louisiana say a magistrate judge ordered him detained and set a detention hearing for Nov. 14 in Lafayette. Rodriguez’s attorney, listed in court documents as John Kevin Stockstill, did not immediately return a call or email seeking comment.

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       U.S. Secret Service officers noticed an unattended black Ozark backpack next to a streetlight in the block about 2:45 a.m., court documents said.

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       Inside the backpack authorities discovered a bag of Expert Grill brand charcoal briquettes that contained 14 pounds of a “grey granular material” and two clear plastic containers that each contained a similar granular substance, investigators said. One of the plastic containers was labeled “rifle targets” and matched exploding targets, the affidavit said.

       Special Agent Denise Katolin Arrans wrote that the gray substance “is consistent with ammonium nitrate and aluminum powder.”

       Rodriguez’s face did not appear on surveillance video that captured the movements of a man who placed the bag and walked around the University of the District of Columbia campus, according to court documents.

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       Investigators matched Rodriguez through DNA recovered from the left shoulder strap of the backpack, the court files said.

       Authorities also said video surveillance showed a vehicle occupied by another person in the area before the backpack was placed on the street. But the court documents state that the second person has not been identified and cautions the vehicle “may or may not be connected” to the incident.

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