FORT COLLINS, CO — A second Colorado State University student has been arrested after campus police say they found materials tied to an alleged explosive device inside a residence hall on the Fort Collins campus. The student faces felony possession of explosive or incendiary device parts and reckless endangerment charges.
University officials confirmed the arrest and said it happened at Durward Hall, the dormitory tower on the northwest corner of campus. CBS Colorado reported that the student was taken into custody there, making it the second arrest in five days connected to similar allegations. CSU says the investigation is still active and that state agents are helping test the items recovered from the room.
How investigators say the first arrest began with a tip
The case follows a separate arrest earlier in the week, when CSU police received a tip that a 19-year-old student may have been in possession of napalm. Officers later executed a search warrant in a residence hall room and reported finding a glass jar containing a sticky white substance, along with other materials that raised concerns.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by CBS Colorado, two students said a resident on the 12th floor of Durward Hall asked if they wanted to see something cool before showing them the jar. The affidavit says the resident identified the substance as napalm, which is a highly flammable gel-and-fuel mixture, and allegedly spoke about blowing things up in the past.
What police say they recovered from the dorm room
The arrest affidavit says officers found a glass jar, aluminum powder, black iron oxide and a pipe that was empty at the time of the search. Those items prompted the involvement of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which is now working with CSU police to determine whether the white substance was actually napalm.
CSU has said the substance has not been confirmed and that testing is ongoing. The university also said all substances of concern were removed from the room. Officials have not said what the final lab results will show, but they have described the matter as an active investigation.
Students on the floor watched officers limit movement during the search
Freshman Anton Trevino said he was in his dorm room with friends Monday morning when he heard a commotion outside. He said he then saw several officers come out of the stairwell, turning what had been a normal morning into a tense scene for people living on the floor.
Trevino said police restricted movement while they worked in the residence hall. He said some students who tried to move through the floor were told to wait or go somewhere else. CSU said the Northern Colorado Bomb Squad also consulted on the scene and determined the building did not need to be evacuated during the investigation.
University officials say there was no ongoing danger to campus
In a statement, Colorado State University said the materials taken from the room were removed and that there was no ongoing risk to campus. The school said the building remained in use and did not require evacuation during the response.
Officials also said they could not share additional details because the investigation is continuing. That limited disclosure has left students with questions, but the university has emphasized that campus safety officials and state investigators are still working through the evidence and testing the items tied to the case.
A tense day on campus followed a separate police shooting later Monday
The arrest took place just hours before a separate and unrelated campus police shooting later Monday evening, when an armed man was shot by officers during another investigation, according to CSU. The back-to-back incidents made the day feel especially unsettling for students living in residence halls.
Trevino said the timing made the earlier arrest feel even more alarming. He said it was shocking to hear that someone could be accused of bringing dangerous materials into the place where he lives, but he also said he was relieved authorities found the situation before anyone was hurt.
Charges now pending as state testing continues
The second student now faces reckless endangerment and felony possession of an explosive or incendiary device, according to the arrest affidavit. CSU and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation are still working together to determine exactly what the recovered materials are and whether they amount to an explosive device or component parts.
For now, university officials say there is no current threat to the campus community. The case remains under investigation, and the school has said it will not release more information until the inquiry is further along.
