Pipe Bomb Dismantled Along Colonial Parkway

On Sunday, November 18, a small homemade explosive device was discovered and successfully deactivated along the Colonial Parwkay.  There were no injuries nor damage to park resources.

At approximately 12:20 p.m., on November 18, Colonial National Historical Park dispatch received a call regarding a possible pipe bomb at the Mill Creek turnout along the Colonial Parkway.  Ranger Larry Smith responded and secured the parking area with the assistance of the James City County police department.  The device in question was approximately 4” long and ½” in diameter, with a burnable fuse protruding from one end.

An interview with the visitor who had reported the device revealed that when the man and his two children were fishing in the James River, his 11-year old son scooped up the small, shiny object with his fishing net.  The visitor noticed a fuse and, suspecting an explosive device, placed the object under a rock on the beach and called 911. 

After confirmation by NPS and county fire officials that it was indeed an explosive device, the Virginia State Police bomb squad was called.  Bomb specialists rendered the device safe by exploding a small charge attached to the end of the device, knocking out the end cap and allowing the contents (2-3 ounces of black powder) to be removed safely.  A subsequent search of the area for additional devices found nothing. 

Investigators revealed that the devices, known locally as “crickets,” are becoming increasingly popular among juveniles, as the materials are non-regulated and easy to obtain.  They are commonly made in batches of 5-6 devices and were recently responsible for the death of  a young boy in the Williamsburg area.