Tenn. man who threatened public officials had 14 improvised explosive devices in home: cops

Police found more than a dozen improvised explosive devices in the residence of a Tennessee man who allegedly threatened to kill local public officials and law-enforcement officers.

Polk County sheriff’s deputies went to the ramshackle wooded home of Kevin Wade O’Neal, 54, who had several outstanding warrants for the alleged threats, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

After deputies placed him under arrest, they noticed something that appeared to be an IED “smoldering” inside the bedroom where they found him, officials said.

Officers immediately evacuated the home and summoned officers with the Chattanooga Police Department Bomb Squad as well as Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) members.

The officers found 14 crudely made IEDs inside the home and learned O’Neal had attempted to detonate them as he was being detained, the sheriff’s office said.

O’Neal was slapped with nine counts of attempted first-degree murder, one for each of the nine Polk County detectives and deputies who were present during the arrest.

He also got an additional two attempted first-degree murder charges for two other people who were inside the residence at the time.

O’Neal is also facing 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components for the makeshift bombs.

He’s being held at Polk County Jail, and his bond has yet to be determined, officials said.