An Indiana 19-year-old was detained and charged on Thursday after investigators uncovered homemade explosive devices in Monster Energy drinks that she intended to detonate at her former high school, according to police.
An Evansville police officer was transporting Ahnna Tipton to a hospital for examination on Thursday when officials discovered a suspicious object in Tipton’s backpack during admission, according to an Evansville Police Department press release issued Friday.
“The object appeared to be a pill bottle wrapped in duct tape, with a matchstick protruding from the lid and a piece of cloth attached,” according to the statement.
Authorities discovered an aluminum pipe in the backpack, with both ends secured with duct tape. Hospital personnel discovered flammable items inside the pipe and detected a strong chemical stench.
The Evansville Police Department Bomb Technicians arrived on the scene and investigated the materials, which were determined to be improvised incendiary devices, according to officials.
Tipton admitted to assembling the devices during an interview with technicians and stated that there were others at her house in Warrick County, Kentucky, which borders Evansville.
A search warrant was executed at the property, and the Evansville Hazardous Devices Unit discovered two more explosive devices packed in Monster Energy drink bottles, according to officials. The electronics and materials were constructed in the same way as those found in Tipton’s backpack.
“During a post-Miranda interview, Tipton revealed that she had planned to deploy the devices at the high school she previously attended, with the intent to cause harm to others,” according to the announcement.
Tipton was arrested on a charge of possessing a destructive device and booked into the Vanderburgh County Jail on Thursday evening, according to the jail’s most recent booking records. It is unclear whether she has an attorney.
Tipton’s bond was set at $50,000 on Friday, according to online Vanderburgh Circuit Court records. Her initial hearing is planned for June 4.