HOT SPRINGS -- The U.S. Postal Service and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating an apparent explosive device found Monday in a Garland County man's mailbox, according to the sheriff's office.
A man who lives on Wildcat Road went out to check his mail and found his mailbox open. He looked inside, saw what appeared to be an explosive device and called the sheriff's office shortly before 8:30 a.m., according to an incident report.
Garland County Undersheriff Jason Lawrence described the device as a glass Coke bottle filled with black powder and ball bearings with some type of material serving as a fuse at the top that appeared to have burned at one point.
The Piney Fire Department and the Arkansas State Police bomb disposal unit were called to remove the device from the mailbox. Lawrence said the device was taken to a different location where officials used a water cannon to break it open, and the parts were collected as evidence.
Lawrence said the U.S. Postal Service has assumed control of the investigation.
Metro on 04/19/2018