Cops find trove of unexploded IEDs at home of Tennessee man accused of making threats to officials
Sheriff’s deputies in Tennessee found 14 improvised explosive devices in the home of a man who allegedly was planning to detonate them when law enforcement arrived, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives accompanied deputies on Friday to the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal, 54, to arrest him on active warrants. O’Neal is accused of threatening to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel.
While the deputies were arresting OโNeal, the noticed that something was burning in the bedroom where they found him, according to NBC News. They examined the object and determined that it was an improvised explosive device (IED).
The deputies requested assistance from the state’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and local bomb squad officers.
The agents and officers searched the property and allegedly found 14 IEDs inside O’Neal’s home, as well as a woman hiding in a dryer, according to ABC News 9.
OโNeal allegedly planned to detonate the devices when law enforcement arrived, according to detectives
The affidavit claims that, if the bombs had gone off, they would have sent shrapnel flying 2,500 feet and would have put nine deputies and two women inside the house in serious danger.
O’Neal is facing numerous charges, including 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.
ABC News 9 reports that O’Neal allegedly made threats on his social media pages.
In one post from July, O’Neal allegedly wrote “Steve Ross, Josh Stroud you better get your Wiccan Snitch out of my life or you can die with em.”
Steve Ross is the Polk County Sheriff, according the the outlet.
In another rambling post from July 8, O’Neal allegedly made a post sharing his frustration with Polk County officials, his ex-wife, and various other people before saying he would die killing them all.
“I will die killing you before I take comfort in life surrendering to your wishes,” he allegedly wrote. “I consider it an honor to kill each of you and to give my life in the process of the battle against you.”
The sheriff’s office said that O’Neal is currently being held at the Polk County Jail. No bond has been set at the time of this report.
