CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two teens have been arrested in connection with Monday’s pen explosion incident at Turning Point Academy, which sent one student to the hospital.
The incident occurred around 9 a.m., on Oct. 18; however, there are conflicting reports as to where and how the explosive device was discovered, reports WECT.com. A spokeswoman for Charlottte-Mecklenburg Schools said a ninth-grader was pulling the top off of a pen he retrieved from his desk, when the utensil caused a small explosion.
On the other hand, a student, who was allegedly in the classroom during the incident, said the explosive device was in a bucket containing pens. When the student pulled out the pen, it exploded.
The victim had fragments of the pen lodged in his arm and chest, and his hand was burned, reports the Charlotte Observer. His injuries were described as not life-threatening. (Story continues below)
Students were initially evacuated to the school’s gym and then were sent home for the day. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) bomb squad conducted three sweeps of the school to find more explosives, but came up empty-handed.
Two brothers, ages 15 and 16, who attend the school, are at the center of the investigation. Students said one of the suspects had been bragging about his ability to create an explosive device out of pen days prior to the incident.
Following the event, roughly 30 nearby residents had to evacuate their homes as authorities searched the boys’ home for explosives. Three firefighters were injured during the search when a substance they were testing exploded.
On Oct. 19, HAZMAT crews returned to the home, and used two robots to remove more explosive devices from the home.
Turning Point Academy, a school for students with disciplinary problems, resumed classes this morning.
