Suspected pipe bomb found near LaVerkin gun range

LAVERKIN — A suspected pipe bomb was safely detonated Sunday afternoon after it was discovered near the shooting range in LaVerkin that morning.

Around 10:50 a.m., the LaVerkin Police Department was alerted to the presence of a possible pipe bomb in the vicinity of the shooting range off state Route 9.

The Washington County Bomb Squad was dispatched to the scene once the officer on scene determined the suspected item was a possible explosive device, LeVerkin Police Chief Benjamin Lee said.

The suspected pipe bomb wasn’t made of plastic pipe, but metal, Lee said. It also appeared to have been in the area for a while as evidenced by corrosion seen on the metal.

The Washington County Bomb Squad investigated the device and safely detonated it, Lee said.

The operation wrapped up around 4 p.m.

As for any possibility of an investigation into the suspected pipe bomb’s origins, Lee said that was unlikely at this point unless someone with information steps forward.

“There’s really nothing we can go off of,” Lee said.

It’s standard procedure for officers to contact the county bomb squad when they suspect they are dealing with an explosive device.

“The appropriate thing when we get something like this is to contact the bomb squad who’ve been trained specifically in incendiary and explosive devices like this,” Lee said.

This report is based on information provided by law enforcement or other emergency responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

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Twitter: @MoriKessler

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1 Comment

  • Curtis December 8, 2015 at 10:06 am

    So — was it a bomb or not ?

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