Former soldier charged for Tacoma bomb scare; allegedly stored anti-tank explosive on roof

A former JBLM soldier has been charged after it was discovered he was allegedly storing an anti-tank explosive device on his roof in Tacoma, causing a bomb scare Wednesday.

Tracy Worwood, 44, of Tacoma pleaded not guilty Thursday to possession of an explosive device and reckless endangerment after police and agents with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were called to take care of an anti-tank projectile allegedly stored on his roof.

“We don’t know why he had it. We don’t know why he was hiding it on his roof. But his neighbors were understandably alarmed,” said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist.

“This weapon is designed to penetrate tank armor and destroy a tank,” he said. “That gives you an sense of the power and danger.”

Worwood is a former soldier stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He was a fire support specialist and received an “other than honorable discharge” and left service in 2005, according to the Tacoma News Tribune.

Police were called Wednesday after it was discovered that he was storing the anti-tank explosive on his roof in Tacoma. Worwood’s underage son reportedly found the device at his father’s home and took a photo of it, which came to the attention of the boy’s mother, who in turn reported the device to authorities.

“The defendant suggested that maybe he thought it was a dummy ordinance. But this was a live and real weapon,” Lindquist said. “As former military, he probably should have known that.”

Army officials used an x-ray machine to inspect the explosive, which showed that the device had all its working parts. It was previously fired, but never exploded, according to the News Tribune.

After the device was retrieved, it was brought to a local landfill and detonated at around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. It was strong enough to pierce a 5-inch steel plate, the News Tribune reported.

Worwood was released Thursday with no bail.

“It’s my understanding that the judge decided to release the defendant, because he has no criminal history and there is no evidence that he was intending to use this in any offensive way,” Lindquist said.

The area around Sheridan Elementary School was shut down by law enforcement officials Wednesday when the explosive device was allegedly discovered on Worwood’s roof. Returning residents were not allowed to enter a six-block area around 50th Street and McKinley Avenue, and others were instructed to remain inside their homes.

“We’ve asked all residents in the area, anywhere within 46th (Street) to 56th (Street) from McKinley East, to please stay inside their houses unless they are asked to evacuate,” said Officer Loretta Cool with the Tacoma Police Department, Wednesday.

The Tacoma School District posted on its Facebook page that it was instructed by police to evacuate Sheridan Elementary School. Students were bused to Boze Elementary School where they were reunited with their parents.

Nearby Blix Elementary School was in a “modified lockdown,” over the afternoon due to the activity in the area.

The Tacoma Police Department has instructed us to evacuate Sheridan Elementary School due to a dangerous situation in the Sheridan neighborhood that could impact the school. We will transport all students to Boze Elementary immediately. Boze is located at 1140 East 65th Street. Once we get students to Boze, we will implement our parent-student reunification process….Students who attend Lister, First Creek, Stewart and Lincoln who live in the Sheridan neighborhood will stay at their school until the neighborhood is cleared by police for entry.

Tacoma Police is assisting ATF with a possible explosive device. Residents near 50th and McKinley are being asked to stay inside.

— Tacoma PD (@pio1tpd) December 9, 2015