Community on edge following arrests in explosives investigation

HARRISBURG, Ark. (KAIT) - Fear of what is next is a common feeling in Harrisburg after a set of arrests over explosives.

An investigation began on Wednesday, March 1, with the initial arrest of a student at Harrisburg High School charged with criminal possession of explosive material.

Two more people were arrested Thursday, March 2, which has locals like Casey Miller shocked, as he isn’t used to things like this happening in his town.

“You really don’t hear a lot of that stuff you hear a lot of gun stories and stuff like that but never anything about explosives going off how do you even find that stuff in a small town,” he said.

While there was not a threat to the school, the search warrant was executed at the student’s home, which was something the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office had to be careful with.

‘You have to be very careful and like I said that is why we bring in people that have a lot more experience and training than us,” Chief Deputy Jeremy Lally said.

He stressed deputies are confident they may have prevented an incident that would have caused serious physical injury or death to multiple people.

One student at Harrisburg High School said he thought the whole situation was being blown out of proportion and there was never a time that he felt unsafe.

“I don’t think the guys were smart enough to do any of this,” Manuel Guzmán said. “I mean I don’t know why the school is blowing up about it.”

The Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office added the investigation is ongoing and is expected to release more information soon.

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