IED Found Near Tonasket School Safely Detonated

An improvised explosive device (IED) was discovered Thursday morning by a woman walking a path near the Tonasket school campus.

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The area was immediately secured, and school officials were notified. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad later confirmed the device contained black powder. A bomb technician conducted a controlled detonation that may have been heard nearby.

The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who saw the device earlier in the day or noticed someone handling it to come forward. The path where it was found is open to the community and used daily. No injuries were reported.

Highway 20 in front of the Tonasket school complex may experience intermittent closures as law enforcement continues its investigation.

Deputies say all safety measures were taken to protect students and staff, and thankfully, no one was harmed.

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Gallery Credit: Isabel Sepulveda

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