A Texas man searching the shallows with a metal detector found a live pipe bomb near a popular swim area this week. Lewisville resident Mike Reiter discovered the device Monday at Lake Park on Lake Lewisville, near a swim area and disc golf course. Police said Reiter called 911 after finding the suspicious object, and the Denton County Bomb Squad later confirmed it was a pipe bomb.
The bomb squad destroyed the device at the scene. No injuries were reported, and the area has since reopened to the public.
Found Less Than 20 Feet From Shore
Reiter was metal detecting in shallow water near Lake Park when he found the device, according to local reports. The Dallas Morning News reported that police described it as a capped metal pipe fitted with a fuse and packed with pyrotechnic powder.
Reiter initially thought the object might be part of a fence post. Then he noticed both ends were capped and saw what appeared to be a burned fuse.
“I held a freaking bomb in my hand,” Reiter wrote in a Lewisville community Facebook group. “This was at the disc golf course in the swim area where kids swim all the time.”
Reiter removed the device from the lake before realizing what he had handled. He later told local news outlet WFAA that he didn’t feel heroic about the decision.
“That doesn’t make me a hero,” Reiter said. “It makes me an idiot.”
Police Suspect Illegal Fishing
Lewisville police said similar devices have recently been used at the lake to kill fish, making them easier to collect. People commonly call the practice blast fishing, dynamite fishing, or bomb fishing.
Texas law bars people from placing explosives, poison, or other substances harmful to fish in state waters.
Lake Lewisville covers 29,592 acres, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. The agency lists largemouth bass, spotted bass, white and hybrid striped bass, white crappie, and blue and channel catfish among the reservoir’s predominant fish species.
The lake also sees heavy public use. Lake Park spans more than 662 acres along the Lake Lewisville shoreline and includes campgrounds, beaches, docks, boat ramps, picnic facilities, day-use swimming areas, a marina, athletic facilities, and a disc golf course.
Investigation Ongoing
Police haven’t identified a suspect. Lewisville police said this was the first incident of this kind they’ve encountered, though Denton bomb technicians have seen similar devices used for illegal fishing. Authorities urged anyone who finds a suspicious device near water, parks, or recreation areas to leave it alone, move away, and call law enforcement.
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