The ATF issued a public safety advisory after IEDs were discovered rigged into Kentucky trail cams.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, and Explosives are warning outdoorsmen in Harlan County, Kentucky to beware of trail cams and hunting equipment that may contain IEDs.
Explosive trail cameras have been found abandoned on paths and other places throughout the Dave Smith Drainage Area near the Woodland Hills Subdivision.
They have been rigged to detonate when batteries were inserted into them. Other IEDs discovered were set to explode via a trip wire.
To date three people have been injured from the devices exploding in their hands.
The first of these explosive trail cams were discovered in May after injuring a man who had stumbled upon one.
An investigation led them to Mark Sawaf (pictured below) in June after police found materials used to make explosives in his trash.
After his arrest in June Sawaf admitted to rigging and setting the cameras. In addition he told police he had set others in unspecified places.
He was charged in July with multiple counts of owning and making unregistered destructive devices.
Law enforcement forced Sawaf to direct them to the locations of the other devices. Unfortunately during the search Sawaf tried to escape and was fatally shot.
Searches through the area have led to the discovery of a total of nine trail cameras. They also have information that a tree stand has been rigged in the same manner.
They currently do not know how many more of the devices could be rigged in the area.
As a result authorities caution anyone not handle any trail cameras, treestands, or other items they did not place themselves. They ask that if you stumble upon items such as these to contact law enforcement immediately so they can be inspected.
You can report suspicious equipment to the Kentucky State Police Post 10 at 606-573-3131.
SEE MORE: Missouri Hunter Finds Explosives in Mark Twain National Forest
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