Pipe bomb discovered in golf course ditch sets off investigation, Indiana police say

Someone found a pipe bomb at an Indiana golf course, setting off an investigation into how the explosive ended up there, police said.

The Columbus Police Department said it was called to the Greenbelt Golf Course at about 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14 after the bomb was found in a ditch, according to a statement posted to Facebook.

“Specially trained” police officials “rendered the device safe” that same evening, the department said. No injuries were reported.

Police say no other explosive devices were found in the area, and the public is not believed to be in danger.

An investigation into the bomb is ongoing, police say, and anyone with additional information is asked to call the department at 812-376-2600. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

A representative of Greenbelt Golf Course declined to comment on the incident when reached by McClatchy News and directed questions to the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department, which couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

“Pipe bombs are simple to construct, can be crafted from readily available materials, and are lethal both from the blast and from the fragments of the casing,” according to the Department of Homeland Security.

They are typically “made from steel pipes that contain an explosive mixture with a fuse sticking out,” according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Columbus is about 45 miles south of Indianapolis.