A 15-year-old boy is being questioned by Phoenix police after he allegedly made threats to blow up a "Muslim church."
Police say on Monday night, a teenage boy told his parents a classmate of his at Pinnacle High School threatened to blow up the church. Phoenix police questioned the boy, who said he did not see any weapons or devices that would allow the suspect to act on his threat.
On Tuesday, while the boys were at school, the witness saw the suspect with a plastic bag containing several pounds of a white, powdery substance. The boy immediately went to school officials to report what he had seen, the police department said in a news release.
School staff called police to investigate. Police say the powdery substance was found to be potassium nitrate, which is a salt-like substance. Authorities say it is not dangerous by itself, but can be mixed with other chemicals to create a flash powder.
Authorities say the suspect made no threats against the school, and at this time, there is no indication that the school or anyone connected with the school was in danger.
The circumstances did not necessitate a lock down of the school, said Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson.
