Hilo High School was locked down for about an hour Thursday morning after someone set off a small explosive device in a corridor. Two juveniles were being held in police custody in connection with the incident, according to a 1:36 p.m. advisory.
Hilo High School was locked down for about an hour Thursday morning after someone set off a small explosive device in a corridor. Two juveniles were being held in police custody in connection with the incident, according to a 1:36 p.m. advisory.
Hawaii Police Department Lt. Greg Esteban said police responded around 11:30 a.m. after reports that a device had detonated on the school campus.
No students or staff were injured in the small blast, he said.
The device was a small plastic bottle filled with chemicals that was then sealed and shaken up to begin a reaction, Esteban said.
“This is something they see on the Internet,” he said. “It’s definitely something that could cause injuries if someone is nearby. … Fortunately, this was in an isolated location in an open corridor during transition between classes, and no one got hurt.”
The bottle bomb caused minor damage to the area it was placed, he added.
Police swept the school with campus security personnel and found no other devices. Students were then released around 12:45 p.m., and allowed to continue their day as normal.
Email Colin M. Stewart at cstewart@hawaiitribune-herald.com.