A DeBary, Florida, man, allegedly found with multiple explosives, is accused of creating a weapon of mass destruction.
According to WKMG, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said officers were called to the suspect’s home Sunday afternoon during a domestic dispute involving Christopher S. Langer, 31, and his parents. Chitwood claimed that Langer told his parents that he had placed an explosive substance inside a grenade.
An intoxicated Langer reportedly originally denied the existence of a grenade but later admitted to throwing it outside. A deputy recovered the grenade—that had a paperclip attached to it to keep the lever in place—which led law enforcement to evacuate from the home, according to Chitwood.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that officers recovered a pipe bomb disguised as a toy box in the backyard, and a device rigged inside a SpongeBob SquarePants lunchbox which possibly acted as a boobie trap.
“A search warrant resulted in the discovery of an estimated 200 containers inside the house containing unknown powders, acids, and other materials,” Volusia County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Andrew Gant said.
“Many of them [about 79 at that time] have been placed into a containment area, and many have been determined not to be bomb-making materials but bodily fluids.”
The containers, etc., we pulled out of the DeBary home w/ explosive devices. Many of these contain urine. But he also had all the ingredients to make bombs pic.twitter.com/wq6ttwr8dP
— Volusia Co. Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) November 13, 2017
Though most of the containers appear to be harmless on their own, Chitwood noted that Langer was in possession of nitric acid and urea—chemicals similar to the ones used in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
“That domestic violence call probably saved us from making national and international news,” Chitwood said. “He has all the components in there to make a weapon of mass destruction.”
Chitwood described Langer as a known heroin addict who’s been hospitalized four times under the Baker Act. He claimed that authorities were recently called to the home because Langer had overdosed on heroin and required Narcan to be revived.
The deputy also said that the suspect is anti-government and planned to harm first responders to “get even.”
“Two weeks ago we saved your godd**n life, and now we’re here two weeks later and you’re talking about how you want to blow us all up?”
Langer is charged with making and possessing a destructive device. Being held on $5,000 bail, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Chitwood requested the judge to revoke his bail
Additional charges are possibly forthcoming, pending the outcome of the investigation.
[Featured Image: Christopher S. Langer/ Volusia County Sheriff’s Office]
