Neighborhood In Shock After Device Explodes On Child At Highlands Ranch Park
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (CBS4) - After a group of children were injured by an explosive device Tuesday afternoon, deputies searched parks across Douglas County for similar devices.
Dad Clark Park is an extremely popular neighborhood park in Highlands Ranch. About 2 p.m. on Tuesday, five kids were playing by the basketball hoop there when one picked up device that looked like a water bottle. Except inside that bottle, was some kind of acid that exploded in the child's face.
"We believe that it was ultimately some type of acid device," said Sgt. Ron Hanavan of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Paramedics rushed the child to the hospital, while Douglas County investigators posed evidence markers to trace the bomb's path. Stunned families hustled from Dad Clark Park.
"I'm astonished," said neighbor Alex Lee. "We got this house because of the park and now I just won't feel safe."
Lee immediately looked out her window from across the street when she heard a noise. "I saw the father take out a little boy. My neighbor said that the kid had opened a bottle, it had an improvised explosive device, and that he would probably need stitches."
Tyson Graff had just put his son down for a nap when the bomb went off, "I heard kind of a loud boom."
He said the explosion could have been much worse. "There's a lot of little kids that play over there, mine being one of them, it's a real scary thing and it's tough to believe that it could've really hurt someone really bad."
As investigators washed away the remains, Alex Lee talked about the disturbing explosion that has sent shock waves through the neighborhood. "I promised my daughter she could cross to the park when she's 8 or 9, and now she won't be able to go by herself."
The injured child is expected to be okay, and deputies said they checked every park in Douglas County for similar devices, but have not found any.
Additional Information From The Douglas County Sheriff's Office
If you have any information about this, please call our Investigations tip line at 303.660.7579. If you see something suspicious, please call 911.
