**Update September 25 2:20 p.m.** <\strong>]
Bond has been set for four South Carolina college students arrested after setting off homemade bombs in a dorm. Newberry County detention center confirms a bond of $5,000 each was set for four Newberry College students on state felony charges of possession and manufacturing a destructive device.
The detention center says two of the students, 19-year-old Steven Bell of Columbia and 19-year-old Jordean Belton of Ridgeway, were released Thursday. 19-year-old Christopher Hopkins of Winnsboro and 21-year-old Brandon King Jr. of Elgin remain in the Newberry County Detention Center as of Friday afternoon.
** Update 9/24 4:26 p.m. **
Newberry Police have arrested the following people in connection with Wednesday's explosions. The have each been charged with one count of possessing and manufacturing a destructive device. All are students at the college. Their first bond hearing is Thursday 9/24 at 5 p.m.
Christopher Lindsay Hopkins, 18
Steven Bell, 19
Jordan Alexander Belton, 18
Brandon Jarrod King, 20
** Update 9/23 5 p.m. **
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating an explosion on the campus of Newberry College.
They say they have found homemade over pressure devices. Newberry Sheriff's Office says a "college level prank spun out of control"
Last night just after 11:30pm, there was a minor explosion in the Brokaw dormitory parking lot of Newberry College. Newberry City Police officers in the area heard the explosion and believed it to be a gunshot and investigated. The source of the blast could not be located.
At 12:50am, a second minor explosion occurred in the first floor lobby of the Brokaw dormitory. The student affairs office began questioning students and located items commonly used in an over pressure device.
The items were taken from a dormitory room. There was no damage or injury associated with this incident.
Today just after 11:30am, a third minor explosion occurred again inside the Brokaw dormitory. This explosion was also caused by an over pressure device.
Authorities say that the students in the dormitory were immediately evacuated and the State Law Enforcement Division bomb squad was called to the scene.
There were no injuries associated with any of the incidents.
Authorities say that this was absolutely NOT an incident involving terrorists or any threat to homeland security.
The devices were made in plastic drinking water bottles using a chemical reaction from common household items.
The only damage done was minor carpet burns from the chemicals.
Four people are being questioned at this point as authorities seek to identify those responsible for these acts that while may have seemed harmless caused substantial problems throughout the campus.
Brokaw dormitory is the freshman dormitory at Newberry College. It houses 293 students.
A football player told the Newberry Observer that there was some sort of an explosion last night and this morning. Several students said it sounded like a gunshot.
SLED says there are people being questioned at this time.
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