Growing concers as Grade 10 student threatens to bomb car
PHOENIX – An Off-Duty Member of Reaction Unit South Africa received information on Saturday night (9/03/2024 20:28) that a student from a school in Phoenix was in possession of three (3) bombs.
The information was received after a 17-year-old, grade 10 student (further details withheld) sent out images of an explosive via Watsapp. In a chat he informed friends that he intended on bombing a car. The Reaction Officers immediately gathered information on the location & identity of the student and made contact with the South African Police Service at King Shaka International Airport, SAPS Verulam & the Umhlali SAPS Dog Unit who made contact or provided details for bomb experts.
A Colonel from the SAPS Provincial Office in Kwazulu Natal was contacted telephonically and the Reaction Officer shared the information and images that were received. After a brief investigation, the Colonel made contact with the Reaction Officer & established that the image of the bombs that were circulated were downloaded from a website.
The identical picture was of a bomb replica designed to be used on an Airsoft game. The website was forwarded to the Reaction Officer by the Explosive Specialist. The student claimed to have ordered the bombs online.