Yavapai County law enforcement authorities responded to what they say was “a concerning discovery” made by a hiker in a remote area near Hillside on Friday.
According to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, the hiker, accompanied by his children, stumbled upon an ammo can concealed within a cluster of granite boulders. Upon opening the can, the hiker uncovered what looked like an improvised explosive device (IED), along with detonation cord, black powder, and another suspicious object.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the hiker promptly resealed the ammo can and contacted law enforcement. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) personnel arrived on scene and observed what appeared to be a 2-inch galvanized pipe bomb with detonation cord adorned with horseshoe nails affixed to its exterior. Due to the inherent danger posed by the discovery, YCSO initiated contact with the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Bomb Squad.
The DPS Bomb Squad utilized specialized robotic equipment to safely extract the items from the ammo can. Upon examination, it was determined that the pipe bomb was devoid of any explosive material. However, a bag containing black powder was recovered, along with other components necessary for constructing a potentially devastating IED, all meticulously stored in Ziplock bags. Additionally, another item suspected to be an additional IED, was also found within the container.
To ensure the safety of the area, a bomb detection canine was deployed to thoroughly search for any additional explosive devices, yielding negative results.