Four Chattanooga State Community College students picked the wrong apartments to pull a prank on Monday night and landed themselves in jail.
They were arrested after placing plastic bottle bombs that blew up on a doorstep of the Waterford Place Apartment complex on Shallowford Road, next door to the residence of a Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputy, according to a Chattanooga Fire Department release.
Arrested in the prank were Brandon Cochran, 20, Jordan Hinson, 20, Aaron Killingsworth, 19, and William Lovelace, said Bruce Garner, public information director for the fire department. They were charged with possession of an explosive device and reckless endangerment, a felony, he said.
The bombs were 2-liter plastic bottles filled with chemicals that cause a gas buildup, making the bottles explode, Mr. Garner said. The deputy heard the explosion and came outside to find nine potential suspects and called 911 for fire and police response.
The students told Lt. Anthony Moore, with the fire investigation division, that they “were pulling a prank and had no intention of hurting anyone.”
Chemicals in the bottles could have seriously injured anyone close to the explosion, the lieutenant told the students.