By Bonnie Culverhouse
What should have been a routine search for alleged stolen items “snowballed” Tuesday for local law enforcement.
Webster Parish Sheriff’s deputies and Minden Police executed a search warrant at a residence in the 900 block of Brackin St., Minden, around 11 a.m. What they found was not what they expected.
“There was a juvenile sitting on the front porch when we got there,” Chief Jared McIver said. “He followed us in the house to show us his room, then bolted out the back door.”
McIver and Deputy Chief Hank Haynes chased the 17-year-old about a block before finding him hiding under a truck.
Once the subject – as a juvenile, he cannot be named – was contained in a vehicle, law enforcement searched his room. They did not find the stolen items. Instead they found potentially explosive parts, packaged and ready to assemble.
Louisiana State Police Hazmat, State Fire Marshal, Ward 1 City Marshal, Minden Fire Department, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (AFT) joined MPD and WPSO.
Other items discovered include a handgun, drugs and the parts to make and assemble firearms.
“We haven’t had a chance to go through his electronics yet, but there are all kinds of videos on the internet that show you how to build bombs and firearms,” said Chief Deputy Hank Haynes. “You have to do it the right way though. He wasn’t doing it the right way.”
The juvenile was taken to Minden Police Department for questioning. His mother was present, while his step-father remained on the scene.
“We talked to City Judge Sherb Sentell,” McIver said. “The boy will be going to Ware (Youth Center) for now. From there, we will have to see. We’ve been to this address more times than I can count. This boy has been in trouble a lot. He was involved in a shooting just last year.”
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
