Explosive Device With Black Powder Found Outside Washington High School

Authorities in Washington are seeking the public’s help after an improvised explosive device (IED) was found Thursday on a walking path near a high school campus.

The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a walking path near Tonasket High School Thursday afternoon after a local woman reported finding a suspicious item on the path. Deputies contacted the school to alert administrators to the situation and take steps to keep students and staff safe.

Highway 20 E, in front of the Tonasket High School complex, was shut down “intermittently” while law enforcement investigated the item. The sheriff’s office advised members of the public to avoid the area.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad responded to the scene and “confirmed the device contained black powder,” the sheriff’s office said. A Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) technician carried out a controlled detonation, which authorities said “may have been heard in the immediate area.”

“Thankfully no harm came to anyone,” the sheriff’s office said. Now, they’re asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area to come forward.

The walking path is “open to all community members and used daily,” the sheriff’s office said. “If anyone observed this device this morning on the path or any person handling the device please notify the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office so further investigation can be conducted.”