Two separate incidents involving small plastic bottles used to create bottle bomb devices were investigated last week by the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Hanover County Fire Marshal’s Office.

According to Sgt. Chris Whitley of the Sheriff’s Office, the devices were set off at Mechanicsville area high schools while each school hosted a football game Thursday night. He said the devices are intended to create a loud noise.

“Fortunately, no one was hurt or in immediate danger during either of these incidents,” Whitley said on Friday.

At about 8 p.m., deputies providing security at the Lee-Davis High School football game heard a loud noise come from a vacant field, which is located directly behind a set of bleachers.

As a result, they immediately responded to the area and were able to determine that the noise was caused by a plastic bottle bomb that had exploded.

The officers isolated the area and determined that no one was injured or in immediate danger.

Due to the nature of the incident, the Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene to conduct a joint investigation.

Around 9 p.m., another loud noise was detected by deputies providing security at a Hanover High School football game.

As with the first incident, the deputies immediately responded to the area and were able to determine that a plastic bottle bomb had exploded.

Similar to the first incident, it occurred behind a set of bleachers and no one was hurt or in immediate danger. The Fire Marshal’s Office also responded to that incident.

Both cases remain under investigation.

“Although these incidents appear to be isolated juvenile pranks, it is important for the suspect(s) to understand that these not only are serious felony offenses that will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, but also have the potential to cause serious harm to the individual(s) using such devices,” said Col. V. Stuart Cook, sheriff.

While members of the Sheriff’s Office and Fire Marshal’s Office work to solve the case, the community’s help is needed in identifying the suspect(s) to bring the case to a swift resolution.

Anyone with information—no matter how seemingly small or insignificant, Cook said—is urged to report it immediately to the Sheriff’s Office or Fire Marshal’s Office at 804-365-6140 or the Metro Richmond Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000.