Pasco student arrested over small explosion in cafeteria

NEW PORT RICHEY - A 17-year-old boy was arrested early Friday, charged with leaving a pressure bomb inside a garbage can at the Schwettman Education Center during breakfast.

The boy, whose name is not being released by New Port Richey police, mixed some window cleaning chemicals with pieces of metal in a small plastic bottle, creating a compression bomb that exploded when the pressure inside the bottle grew too great, police Lt. Jeffrey Harrington said.

"There was a bit of an explosion and the escape of all the gas," Harrington said.

The boy faces  felony charges of planting and discharging a destructive device.

One employee suffered possible damage to her ear, Harrington said,. but no other injuries were reported.

After the explosion, the school resource officer - who was in the cafeteria at the time - instructed the approximately 120 students and staff members inside to head to their classrooms, where they remained while another six officers arrived to search the school and conduct an investigation. The modified lockdown continued for two class periods, ending after police determined no other explosive devices were hidden anywhere else, and the suspect was taken into custody.

"It became very clear this was isolated to a lone person," Harrington said, adding that he didn't have an explanation for the suspect's motivation. "He certainly didn't provide one."

Comments

Hey, the good news is that next year the school resource officer will be layed off. This stupid prank could be followed by a stampede of crazed students. Thanks, Florida Legislature.

[Tony]

School resource officer did nothing more than what a teacher could do, send the kids to class rooms.... Is he a hero for that?

[rowdy]

Tony. Where in the blog does it say the resource officer is a hero? Are you jealous? Aren't you getting enough attention? Poor baby

[Dave]

I guess fireworks in the toilet are terrorist activities here in 2008, huh?

Stupid, cowardly country we've grown into.

[Misty]

this SRO has been great so do not knock him. these are troubled kids and this was handled smoothly inside.

[Kim]

I go to Schwettman myself, and I was present for the explosion. The police did nothing but peek into the trash cans. ***** turned himself in. The PoPos deserve a slap on the back for their work, just not this one.

[tony]

for those readers not from pasco, Schwettman is a school for punks. most of the kids should already be behind bars, but thank god for the liberals who think it is our duty to save them.

[Pasco]

Tony,
Sometimes it's folks like you
who never helped a kid
to turn his life around.

I've met many responsible,
wonderful adults,
who credit Schwettman
for helping them do so,
BEFORE they went beyond
the point of no return.

I believe in kids.
You'd better too,
since they'll be
running the country in no time.

How about offering to help them
rather than being such an arse.
Just a suggestion...

[Pasco]

Tony,
Sometimes it's folks like you
who never helped a kid
to turn his life around.

I've met many responsible,
wonderful adults,
who credit Schwettman
for helping them do so,
BEFORE they went beyond
the point of no return.

I believe in kids.
You'd better too,
since they'll be
running the country in no time.

[Reader]

Unfortunately, this is a sign of the times and just some of the things to come. The kids in this school are trouble to begin with and they (some of them not all) continue they're disobedient behavior at a school that is supposed to be giving them a second chance to get and finish an education.It starts at home and the kid needs some severe discipline and supervision. I'm sure if you look at the parent of this delinquent you would get a great understanding of why he or she may have acted this way. I'm sure they do not promote the behavior but they are not and have not done enough to control their behavior either. This is all speculation but I have a hunch. Lock the kid up for a long time because it's just a matter of time before he or she does something else and really hurts someone. And by the way "Pasco", I seriously doubt that any of the kids from this school will be running anything that will have an influence on any community. I dare they prove me wrong.

[jojo]

What do you mean not running anything with influence? I bet a few of them will rise to the position of Head Sheet Folder.......in the prison laundry.

[Dave]

We used to make these things when I was a kid, they're loud, but that's about it. Now it's a felony? Jesus, get a grip people. Am I working as "Head Sheet Folder" in the prison laundry? No, I'm a software developer now with a house, a 401k, a savings account, etc... I turned out so horrible a maligned! I should have been put down a long time ago!