Explosives found during arrest of Tennessee man who threatened public officials, police say

OLD FORT, Tenn. (AP) — Officers found 14 improvised explosive devices while executing a search warrant for a man who had threatened to kill public officials and tried to detonate the devices as he was being arrested, Tennessee authorities said Saturday.

Detectives and deputies went to a home Friday in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) east of Chattanooga, seeking to apprehend the 54-year-old suspect, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

After taking him into custody, the officers noticed “something was smoldering” in the bedroom where he was found, the sheriff’s office said.

They saw what appeared to be an improvised explosive device and evacuated the home. Subsequently, bomb squad officers and agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF, found the 14 devices, the sheriff’s office said.

The suspect was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components, according to the sheriff’s office.

He was being held at the Polk County Jail, which could not confirm whether he had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf when reached by phone Saturday.

The suspect had active warrants for threatening to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in the county.

Elisa Myzal, public affairs director for Chattanooga police, said via email that none of the devices detonated. Myzal did not comment on the nature and timing of the suspect’s threats against officials or whether he was arrested because agents believed there was an imminent danger.

Police and the ATF referred further inquiries to the sheriff’s office, which said nobody was available at the moment to answer questions.