Teenagers arrested in 'bottle bomb' explosions

Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with a rash of so-called “bottle bomb” explosions reported in and around Kalispell over the past month.

Kalispell Police Department officers arrested two 16-year-old boys Wednesday and a 15-year-old boy Thursday.

According to a release by the Kalispell Police Department, the youths have been linked to at least four of the explosives and are believed to have been responsible for others.

Two of the boys are expected to be charged with negligent endangerment while the third is expected to face a charge of criminal endangerment.

The release didn’t provide the names of the suspects or who was charged with the more serious offense of criminal endangerment. An investigating Kalispell Police detective had not responded to a request for additional information as of press time.

No one was injured during any of the explosions, which were generated through the combination of plastic

bottles, aluminum foil and chemicals found in products like Drano.

According to the release, the boy charged with criminal endangerment is believed to have been responsible for throwing one of the explosives along North Meridian Road where an anti-abortion protester was taking part in the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil.

Another of the explosives was reported minutes earlier at a department store in north Kalispell.

The arrests were the result of cooperation of local businesses and investigations by the Kalispell Police Department Detectives Division and Flathead High School Resource Officer Karen Webster, according to the release.

Detective Sgt. Scott Warnell wrote in the release that similar incidents are still under investigation and that additional arrests are likely.

Those with information about the explosives are asked to call the Kalispell Police Department at 758-7780.