The UC Berkeley Police Department Bomb Squad safely detonated two ammunition canisters found on Trail 6A off of Eagle Trail on Sunday, May 10. A hiker alerted officials in the afternoon after discovering the potential explosives in Homestead Valley.

“Once on scene, [the responding] Deputy found two ammo canisters that appeared to be very old and some fuse type wiring,” Marin County Sergeant Brenton Schneider said. “We contacted the UC Berkeley Bomb Squad who responded to the scene and determined one of the ammo canisters had an unknown explosive material inside.”

Throughout the evening, the Marin County Sheriff’s Department released digital messages alerting local residents to the Berkeley PD’s activity. At 10:31 p.m., authorities advised that the bomb squad would destroy the explosives on-site at approximately 11:00 p.m. All individuals were instructed to avoid the Trail 6A near Stolte Grove and Amaranth Boulevard.

“There was a huge RV from the UC Berkeley Police Department and there were three Sheriff cruisers and two park service ranger trucks,” junior Jeremy Cowan, who lives near the area, said. “They used Stolte Grove as the staging area for their operation and set up all of their equipment in the park.”

At 11:18 p.m., authorities announced the area was safe in a final alert: “The Berkeley PD Bomb Squad has successfully and safely destroyed the suspected explosive device. The area has been cleared by the BPD Bomb Squad, MCSO Deputies and the Mill Valley Fire Department. Trail 6A and Eagle Trail will be open to local foot traffic at sunrise.”