Man finds crude bomb while walking dog

BONNERS FERRY  — A local resident discovered a crude bomb in the Valley View Elementery School parking lot Sunday morning.

Barry Pauls spotted a suspicious device when was walking his dog at about 7:06 a.m..

The device turned out to be the bomb. Law enforcement blocked off the area around Valley View Elementary  for most of the day pending the arrival of the Spokane Bomb Squad. 

The bomb was safely disabled the device at about 6 p.m. Sunday.

Bonners Ferry Police Chief Rick Alonzo and Bonners Ferry Police and Fire Department personnel secured the scene. An ambulance was placed on standby in the area.

Boundary County Sheriffs Deputies and Valley View principal Cynthia Orr also responded to the incident.

Boundary County Emergency Management Incident Commander Bob Graham said the device was discovered in the north drive of the school.

He said it was located about 66-feet from the school building.

Police suspect the device had been placed there sometime after 9:30 p.m. Saturday because Paulssaid he had walked his dog by the same spot without seeing the device.

At first, officers responding couldn't tell what the device was made  with because it was entirely encased in duct tape, with a three-foot fuse protruding from the end.

Alonzo made the decision to secure the area and leave the device in place.

Graham said the fuse burned to within six inches of the device before it failed. It was made of firecracker fuses braided together and duct-taped at the joints.

 He and Alonzo examined the device shortly after Graham arrived on scene about 2 p.m. and, by protocol, contacted Boise Comm, which set up a conference call with several state and federal agencies, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Idaho Homeland Security and the Spokane Bomb Squad.

After describing the device and giving their recommendations, it was mutually decided to activate the bomb squad, which had an uncommitted team on hand.

They arrived at about 6 p.m., and used a Percussion-Actuated Nonelectric (PAN) Disrupter, which can disable bombs with a high-pressure jet of water, leaving evidence intact that would otherwise be destroyed if the traditional method of disabling the device by blowing it up were employed, to disable the device in place.

It was then learned that the device consisted of a plastic bottle filled with gasoline-soaked cotton.

“It all went off quite well,” Graham said. “Sometimes there's a delay in getting the bomb squad here because they are committed elsewhere, but it came together in this case. It doesn't look like whoever set this was trying to blow anything up, but in my mind, the gasoline and cotton is a little more sophisticated than the usual firecrackers you see, and that causes concern.”

Alonzo said remains of the bomb have been sent to the BATF for analysis and an investigation is continuing.

“It wasn't next to cars or structures, and I think someone put it there in hopes of waking up the neighborhood,” Alonzo said. “I don't think it was meant to cause any damage, but just to make noise. Whatever the reason, it is a serious federal violation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Bonners Ferry Police Department, (208) 267-2412.

Julie Golder contributed to this story.