The FBI continues to investigate a bomb left on Aug. 8 off of Route OO outside of the Tactical Airsoft Base at 32337 W. 180th St.

Lawson Fire and Rescue took a call around 11:30 a.m. that day about a suspicious package on 180th Street or Nike Base Road, said Ray County Sheriff Scott Childers during an in-person interview. Ray County Deputy Cody Kay arrived at the scene around 1 p.m. and the Kansas City Bomb Squad was then called.

Left in an orange Home Depot bucket with a lid was a metal paint can with wires coming out of it and a kitchen timer, said Childers.

Upon arriving on the scene, the Kansas City Bomb Squad used a water cannon to predetonate the bomb to take away the possibility of the bomb detonating by itself. Squad personnel were then able to examine the bomb.

“There was some white powder in there and also a note; … it was basically directions on an anthrax bomb. At that point, (the) FBI was called out,” recalled Childers.

The FBI lab tested the white powder. Around 7 p.m., lab results revealed it to be flour, not anthrax.

“Anybody who was on scene, they handed out medication to – just to make sure, if there was anything in there, like anthrax or anything, that they would be decontaminated with medication, just as a precaution,” Childers said.

The sheriff said the device was intended “to be an actual bomb.”

“Would it have properly detonated? Don’t know. We didn’t give it the chance to find out,” he said.

MOTIVATION

The FBI has not released a statement about the bomb, but “I am aware that they did make an arrest,” Childers said.

“It could’ve just been somebody who wanted to create fear. It could have been somebody that thought it was a good practical joke. It could’ve been somebody who was building up to doing something more insidious, like making a true anthrax bomb,” he said. “Those are questions that the FBI will have to get answered.”

NO LAUGHING MATTER Childers cautioned Ray Countians to take the incident seriously.

“I want to make it very clear that this is not something that is funny – it wastes a lot of resources when we have a lot of people in this county that need medical and fire (services),” he said. “We ... tied those people up all day. For anybody who thinks something like this is funny, there are only so many resources in this county. … You are taking away from the good citizens of this county that rely on us to serve any need that they have.”

“We will pursue charges to the fullest extent. It is not funny – it is fearmongering, it is dangerous and it is certainly a waste of resources,” the sheriff added.

INVESTIGATION TIPS If anyone has any tips on the investigation, Childers said to call 911.