Bryce Reed, a West, Texas, paramedic arrested Friday morning, owned pipe bomb components, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Texas on Friday.
Reed, 31, has been charged with possession of a destructive device. According to the affidavit written in support of the criminal complaint, the McLennan County, Texas Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in Abbott, Texas, on May 7, after receiving a call about a possible destructive device. There, they found pipe bomb components including a 3.5 inches by 1.5 inches galvanized metal pipe with two galvanized end caps, and several pounds of chemical powders in individual bags. The powders included potassium nitrate, aluminum powder, red iron oxide, ammonium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, sulfur powder, air float charcoal, and Eckhart 10890 German Dark Aluminum. Investigators then determined that the resident of the Abbott address had “unwittingly” taken possession of the components from Reed on April 26.
According to the affidavit, Reed admitted to investigators that he possessed the components of a pipe bomb.
Reed was among the first people on the scene of the April 17 fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas that left 15 people dead and injured around 200 others. Authorities have not said Reed’s arrest has any connection to the plant incident. But hours after the arrest, Texas officials announced that they were launching a criminal investigation into the explosion.
Read the complaint and affidavit:
