Sheriff Leo Dutton has said that a device found at a Montana elementary school initially identified as IED turned out to be a harmless plastic bottle.
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Dutton said that the previously announced improvised explosive device (IED) found on the playground of the Rossiter Elementary School in Helena, turned out to be a harmless plastic bottle.
Upon initial discovery of the "IED". several Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents were dispatched to the scene while students at the school were immediately evacuated.
Contrary to initial reports that an IED detonated, Dutton said that authorities have determined that nothing ever exploded. The sheriff added that the device, which was believed to originate from a construction site, was actually a plastic bottle wrapped in black tape and was full of washers, nuts and bolts. It also contained a fluid which was not flammable.
According to reports, a homeless man picked it up assuming that it was trash and placed the bottle by the school Monday night or early Tuesday. He did not have any malicious intent.
The sheriff claimed that the FBI and ATF "handled it appropriately" by announcing an IED had been found Tuesday morning. He added: "I am glad our team here, local, state and federal, reacted in such a way."
Dutton did not explain why the agents initially believed that an IED device detonated. He does not believe that the homeless man will face any charges resulting from the incident.
As part of precaution, Helena District 1 Schools and East Helena Schools were placed on lockdown while the authorities searched the buildings. Later, the schools were cleared from the danger and the lockdown was eventually lifted.
No one was injured from the incident.
