Police and federal agents investigating the origin of a bomb left at Union Middle School Feb. 20 searched a Sandy house Friday, removing electronic equipment from a 16-year-old boy's room.
The boy was not at home at the time but was later brought to the house and arrested on an unrelated strong-arm robbery charge. His mother said she and a daughter were traumatized when officers entered the house with guns drawn and said police had singled her son out just because "he is smart" and because they have no other suspects.Police Capt. Gary Lancaster said police did not draw weapons on either the mother or daughter.
Police also say the mother is the only person who has labeled the boy a suspect in the bomb investigation. "His name came up numerous times during the investigation. We never publicly announced he was a suspect. That came from the mother," said Sandy police Sgt. Ed Kantor.
"We have probable cause that he might be involved - not just in that case but in making these types of devices in general," Kantor said.
The boy's name has not been published because he is a juvenile.
The bomb was left inside the gym at Union Middle School, 615 E. 8000 South. It was described as a sophisticated explosive, armed with a mercury switch that would detonate the bomb when it was moved.
Police detonated the device and sent the remains to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms bureau's crime lab in San Francisco for analysis.
"We obtained a search warrant (for the boy's house) based on probable cause on items that had been observed in the residence that could be materials to make an explosive device," Kantor said. "The judge that issued the search warrant felt that we had enough probable cause to go in and search for those items."
Police took numerous undisclosed articles into evidence.
The boy's mother, Sharon Drown, told the Salt Lake Tribune police seized a battery from a remote control toy, an electronic alarm and a radio transmitter.
"We took numerous articles into evidence - some of which the other source listed in the article, some of which they did not list," Kantor said, adding that the mother's perception of what the items are used for is different from the perception held by police.
Kantor said searchers did not find dynamite or other explosive materials.
The boy was arrested because of a Halloween-night incident reported as a strong-arm robbery.
His mother told the Tribune police had accused the boy of stealing candy. Kantor said a knife was reportedly used in the robbery, which is what garnered police concern. He had not been questioned or arrested in connection with the incident before Friday because police had been unable to locate him.
Kantor said Friday's search is the first police have conducted in the bomb investigation. He would not comment on whether additional searches are planned.