According to authorities, a Tennessee man faces multiple counts of attempted murder after allegedly attempting to detonate explosives while law enforcement officers apprehended him at his home.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 54-year-old Kevin Wade O’Neal was arrested Friday and charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder for the attempted murders of nine detectives and deputies, 14 counts of possessing prohibited weapons, and one count of possessing explosives.
Deputies and detectives went to O’Neal’s home on Friday to find him because he was wanted for threatening to kill public officials and law enforcement officers in Polk County.
When the detectives and deputies arrived, they approached O’Neal inside the house and took him into custody.
But as they were apprehending O’Neal, the officers noticed something smoldering inside the room where he was discovered.
Officers quickly evacuated the room after discovering what they believed to be an improvised explosive device (IED).
After the home was evacuated, members of the Chattanooga Police Department Bomb Squad and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) arrived and executed a search warrant at O’Neal’s residence. Authorities claim to have discovered 14 IEDs during the search.
A further investigation determined O’Neal allegedly attempted to detonate the IEDs when officers arrived and while they were attempting to arrest him.
O’Neal was charged with nine counts of attempted first-degree murder for the alleged attempted murders of nine detectives and deputies who were at the home during his arrest.
He is also charged with two additional counts of attempted first-degree murder for the attempted murders of two other people who were present when he was arrested.
In addition, O’Neal is charged with 14 counts of prohiAuthorities say a Tennessee man attempted to blow up law enforcement officials during his arrest at his homebited weapons (one for each IED) and one count of possessing explosive components.
O’Neal is being held in the Polk County Jail.
