A man has been arrested for allegedly trying to plant a bomb near a Confederate statue in a Texas park.
Andrew Schneck was found kneeling near a statue of Richard Dowling, a lieutenant in the Confederate army, in Hermann Park in Houston on Saturday, federal prosecutors say.
A Houston park ranger allegedly caught the 25-year-old near the bushes in front of the General Dowling Monument with two boxes filled with duct tape and wires.
Schneck was also allegedly found with a bottle containing a liquid made up of compounds that are used as explosives.
Andrew Schneck, 25, was allegedly found kneeling near a statue of Richard Dowling, a lieutenant in the Confederate army, in Hermann Park (above) in Houston on Saturday with a box of explosives
He tried to drink the liquid but immediately spat it on the ground, according to the park ranger.
Schneck allegedly said he didn’t ‘like that guy’ when asked if was planning to damage the statue.
Police were called when the ranger noticed a timer and wires in the box.
The items were capable of producing a viable explosive device’, according to a criminal complaint.
Authorities say the liquid Schneck was in possession of was likely nitroglycerin and Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, which are both high explosive ingredients.
The FBI swarmed a home in Houston on Monday near where Schneck’s parents live. It came just days after the 25-year-old was arrested for allegedly trying to bomb a statue
FBI agents evacuated several homes near where Schneck’s parents lived on Monday after finding ‘significant hazardous materials’ inside a property
Schneck had allegedly been conducting ‘chemistry experiments’ at his Houston residence.
Schneck was charged with attempting to maliciously damage or destroy property receiving federal financial assistance.
He made his initial appearance before US Magistrate Judge Mary Milloy on Monday. Schneck was remanded in custody until his next court appearance on Thursday.
Schneck received five years of probation after pleading guilty in 2014 to improperly storing explosive materials.
FBI agents evacuated several homes near where Schneck’s parents lived on Monday after finding ‘significant hazardous materials’ inside a property.
Authorities would not confirm if the materials found were related to Schneck’s arrest.
Authorities would not confirm if the materials found in the home on Monday were related to Schneck’s arrest