Two El Mirage teens arrested for taking homemade explosive to school
Police arrested Two El Mirage teenagers Wednesday in connection with a homemade explosive device that went off in their school cafeteria during lunchtime.
The two teens, ages 16 and 17, who are juniors at Dysart High School in El Mirage.
In less than a month, this is the third explosive-device incident to emerge from the Dysart Unified School District. The other two happened at Willow Canyon High and Valley Vista High, both in Surprise and involving the detonation of "soda bottle" bombs.
The teens were detained on two felony charges of interfering with an educational institution and misconduct involving weapons. They are being held at the Maricopa County Durango Juvenile Detention Center
Police said the two students brought a "small homemade incendiary device" to school and ignited it during lunchtime. The explosion caused a disturbance, and school officials extinguished the device. No one was hurt in the explosion.
The school's resource officer impounded the device and called the El Mirage police. The device was then sent to the state Department of Public Safety crime lab.
"The El Mirage Police Department and Dysart High School take these incidents very seriously," Louis said. "Our department will always take a zero-tolerance approach to anyone who introduces any harmful or volatile substances onto our school campuses or interferes with the safe operation of our school campuses."
The investigation is ongoing and other charges may follow.
On May 1st two Valley Vista freshmen were detained after a plastic bottle filled with a mixture of household cleaners exploded in the school’s outside courtyard.
A week before, a Willow Canyon High student set off a similar chemical bomb as a prank, which ended in the evacuation of part of the school. More than 20 students were treated for breathing difficulty or scratchy eyes.
