December 26, 2001

PRESS RELEASE

To: Newsroom

For Immediate Release

Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer

Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Pipe Bomb Discovered in Vacant Highland Home

Members of the Shreveport Fire Department Bomb Task Force were busy this afternoon destroying a pipe bomb discovered in a vacant Highland neighborhood home just before 2:30 p.m.

Construction workers, subcontracted to lay a water line into the area, ventured into an uninhabited home at 2197 Cornwell Street looking for a rest room when they discovered the homemade bomb inside of a cabinet. The bomb, made of steel piping, contained a fuse at one end and was found wrapped in rags - possibly to avoid detection.

When department bomb technicians arrived, they isolated the area surrounding the home, including an evacuation of the lone residence next door to the north. The street was blocked as the technicians applied a disrupter to the steel cylinder housing of the device. The disrupter, used to destroy the bomb, was then detonated leaving a visual display of black powder spilling from the pipe and rendering it harmless.

Investigators have no information on who may have left the bomb at the house and/or what the intent may have been. If you have information about this incident, please contact the Shreveport Fire Department Arson Investigations Division at 673-6740. ###