The Mystery Boom and the Bachelor Party in Michigan
A lot of residents got spooked.
Last Saturday, April 15, near Grandville, Michigan, residents reported hearing a very loud boom, which spooked a lot of people and led to multiple calls to local police dispatchers. Sheriff’s deputies initially couldn’t find an obvious culprit, though, and the mystery persisted into Monday, when a tipster informed deputies of a possible source: a bachelor party.
By Thursday, according to WOOD, authorities had confirmed the tipster’s claims. The boom, they found, was caused by Binary X, the brand name of a line of so-called “exploding targets”—or targets designed to blow up when shot, so that long-distance shooters know, more or less immediately, if they’ve hit the mark.
The exploding targets are composed of an oxidizer and a fuel. These powders are frequently shipped separately to comply with federal and state laws, because they can go boom when combined (in this case, with the help of a high-velocity bullet impact). Exploding targets are legal in most states, including Michigan, where authorities said that this particular party would not be charged with a crime.
“Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office were able to locate the person responsible for the explosion,” the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release, and later determined that, “the detonation and transportation of the materials used was done so lawfully.”
If there’s a lesson here, it might be that guns and bachelors and exploding things are dangerous items, so be careful out there.
Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders.
Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook