Police: Teen ignited explosives that caused lockdown

A 17-year-old Post Falls boy is responsible for the homemade explosives that locked down Coeur d’Alene High School last week, police announced today. Another 17-year-old boy drove the suspect to the campus on Sept. 8. The boy who made the explosive reportedly told police he’d made the devices “to watch it explode,” according to a news release. The driver did not ignite the explosives but knew his friend planned to do so, police said. A custodian reported hearing an explosion about 7:39 p.m. on Sept 8; the devices were discovered the next morning near the football field. The devices appear to have contained fireworks and were made of rolls of red paper cap gun tape wrapped into a ball shape and held together with electrical tape. The boy who ignited the device faces a felony charge of unlawful use of a destructive device. The other boy could be charged with accessory. The teens’ parents were told of the possible charges, police said. Neither boy was arrested; Kootenai County prosecutors will review the case and make a formal charging decision. Coeur d’Alene police School Resource Officer Steve Harris identified the boy who ignited the device through an anonymous tip last week. Police say the boy confessed.