Official: Bomb found in backpack outside police station in Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. – A law enforcement source confirmed to CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton that a backpack containing a bomb was found Wednesday morning in front of the Nederland Police Department and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The backpack was placed between their two buildings, the source said.  

The law enforcement source told CBS News that a police officer saw the backpack on his way into work, picked it up and brought it inside the police station thinking maybe one of his colleagues had left it outside. 

When the officer was leaving the building hours later, the officer saw it was still there and he decided to look inside. 

He discovered an explosive device. The bomb squad came and rendered it safe. 

The source said the device was active and failed to detonate. The source also said that apparently someone had tried to trigger the bomb possibly by a cellphone. 

The FBI has taken the case over and is leading the investigation with assistance from the two police departments. 

The device has been sent to the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, for analysis. 

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office was closed for a couple of hours Thursday morning for a vehicle sweep linked to the ongoing bomb investigation, CBS Denver reported. 

Agents searched a tan Ford Explorer parked in the sheriff’s office parking lot after the vehicle’s owner came forward with information about the device. 

The FBI issued the all clear just before 10:30 a.m. after nothing suspicious was found in the suspicious vehicle.

There is a security camera outside of the law enforcement office space, but so far there hasn’t been any information released on a potential suspect, CBS Denver reported. 

The FBI said there is no threat to the public.