Several homes evacuated in Castle Rock; bomb squad detonates 2 explosive devices found in home

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. – A Douglas County bomb squad detonated two explosive devices found inside a Castle Rock home.

Douglas County Sheriff's Capt. Darren Weekly says the items were dangerous but required additional manipulation to become bombs.

Authorities discovered them Monday while investigating suspicious chemicals found inside of a house. The discovery prompted the evacuation of up to 30 homes in a Castle Rock subdivision near the Plum Creek Golf Course. The devices were safely detonated inside the golf course.

The evacuations were lifted early Tuesday morning after Castle Rock police, FBI agents and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigated the situation.

The box of chemicals was found at or a house in the 400 block of West Prestwick Way in Castle Rock Monday morning. 

Castle Rock police say the department arrested two teens Sunday night after neighbors reported they were acting suspiciously, and when officers told the parents of one of the children at their home Monday morning, the officers found a small box of chemicals, prompting the call to hazmat crews with Douglas County.

A spokesman with Castle Rock police said at an afternoon conference that after Douglas County bomb squads went through the house, they called in the FBI and ATF, which have more sophisticated equipment. The evacuations were ordered out of "an abundance of caution."

He said the chemicals in question were found inside the house and on the back porch. The hazmat crews had yet to identify the chemicals. The city spokeswoman said everyone in the area had been notified of the situation.

The two juveniles remain in custody on charges unrelated to the possible explosives. The teens are high school aged. Authorities say one had an extensive knowledge of chemicals.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office investigated a possible social media threat earlier Monday, but that threat has not been linked to the explosives investigation at this time.