By Larry Kline/Havre Daily News/lkline@havredailynews.com
Two 16-year-old boys were arrested Friday evening in connection with two incidents in which they are accused of using a homemade explosive device, Havre police said today.
Havre police received a call at 1:06 p.m. Friday from a Havre High School official who said an object in a garbage can inside the school had blown up, Lt. Russ Oswalt said.
The device was very small and did not cause a fire or any damage or injuries, Oswalt said.
At 7:12 p.m. Friday, officers were called to a residence on Third Street to investigate another explosion, he said. After speaking with the two boys and witnesses, officers arrested the two boys on two charges each of reckless or malicious use of explosives, Oswalt said. The charges are misdemeanors.
Both boys were taken to the juvenile detention facility in Chinook, he said.
Oswalt said the devices were made with common household materials.
"There was never any claim made by either of them that they wanted to hurt anyone," he said. "Their intent was to build a bomb and blow it up."
High School Principal Jim Donovan declined to comment.
