Jared Sayre and Amanda Moore
Reporter and Editor-in-Chief
February 10, 2006
Elizabethton police and Milligan College officials have agreed to end an investigation that began after the remnants of an explosive device were discovered near the Milligan College Post Office on Jan. 24.
Postal worker Roger Armstrong said that around 6 p.m. that day, a postal delivery worker found a melted two-liter bottle containing chemicals and metallic objects ouside the post office.
Although the delivery worker was unsure what the object was, Armstrong, a retired 21-year veteran of the Air Force, recognized the materials as being potentially toxic and phoned police.
According to Armstrong, two Elizabethton policemen arrived around 6:30 p.m. and inspected the remains. From the materials inside the melted bottle, aluminum foil and acidic chemicals, they determined that the remains were what is commonly known as a pressure bomb.
Armstrong’s account could not be verified because as of Jan. 28, no police report about the incident could be found. As of Wednesday, police had not responded to repeated requests from The Stampede to confirm whether a report had been filed.
On Jan. 28, Elizabethton Deputy Chief of Police Larry C. Shell said a police investigation was necessary and those suspected “will be stopped by an officer of the law.” However, during the following week the Elizabethton police and Vice President of Student Development Mark Fox agreed to allow the college to handle the disciplinary action.
Charges have not been filed against students involved in this incident, Fox said.
Four students were disciplined for violating student conduct guidelines.
“I appreciate students taking responsibility for their actions,” Fox said. “I think they understand how this can be a serious issue, even though what they did was harmless.”
Fox said eight students – these students and four others – have each received $50 fines this semester related to four different incidents involving explosives.
Kim Parker, director of student life, said, “We know of one group that did a few bombs and another group that only did one bomb.”
Pressure bombs are made from household chemicals, according to Shell. These chemicals react in a container, such as the bottle that was found, resulting in an explosion. They are classified under Tennessee state law as explosive weapons that may cause injury.
“(The bombs) can be dangerous and disrupt the community,” Shell said.
Explosives are prohibited on Milligan campus. The penalty for possession of “fireworks,” which Fox said is an all-inclusive term referring to prohibited items, is “a $50 fine for a first offense and referral to the Dean of Students for multiple offenses,” according to the Milligan College Student Handbook.