HUNTSVILLE, Ala — The Pro-Trump mob riot at the Capitol brought a lot of safety risks, including risks of explosions. Members of multiple ATF explosive teams were on site and they trained right here in Huntsville.
D.C. police confirmed two pipe bombs and a cooler of Molotov cocktails were found near the US Capitol Building while Trump supporters began to riot. ATF agents were called in to search for explosives, clear the area and re-secure the Capitol. One ATF representative said these responders were well prepared because of the training they receive at the Huntsville training base.
We spoke with J.D. Underwood, from the National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR) in Huntsville, Alabama. Underwood explains, “In our training, we’re using live explosives, we’re using live scenarios, we use role players… We can take control real world events and we can immediately put them into our training scenarios.”
We’re told any explosive devices recovered from the scene will be studied and similar models will be incorporated into ATF training moving forward.
Underwood tells us two members from the ATF National Response Team were sent to Washington D.C. from Huntsville Alabama on Wednesday to assist with the investigation at the Capitol.
