The Northern Arizona University Police Department is continuing its investigation into the five small, homemade explosive devices that were placed around Mountain View Residence Hall early Wednesday morning.
Police are following several leads but no arrests have been made.
“We are using all available resources to investigate this matter,” said NAU Police Chief G.T. Fowler. “Regardless of whether it was intended as a prank or a joke, we consider this a very serious situation and the university will vigorously pursue prosecution.”
At around 3 a.m. Wednesday, NAUPD, Flagstaff Police Department and the Flagstaff Fire Department found five plastic bottles containing hydrochloric acid and aluminum foil. The devices were designed to expand and burst.
An NAUPD officer was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center as a precautionary measure and was back on duty the same day. The only reported damage was some carpeting in the residence hall.
A crime alert was sent to Mountain View residents Wednesday morning, and staff from NAU’s Office of Residence Life is updating the residents this week. The campus community was updated through Inside NAU, and members of the Parents Association received an e-mail explanation of the events.
A text alert was not sent to campus because NAUPD determined there was no immediate threat and no action was needed to be taken by students.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to call NAUPD at (928) 523-3611.