Police: Man charged after authorities remove ‘explosive device’ from Huntersville apartment

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — A man was charged after authorities said they removed an “explosive device” from his apartment in Huntersville Saturday afternoon.

Officers said they were responding to a domestic property incident inside the apartment of 38-year-old Justin Coleman. They were called at around 2:15 p.m. to the Fairways at Birkdale Apartments on Streamview Drive.

Police said they were familiar with Coleman because on Thanksgiving, he was involved in another domestic incident at another location.

Police: Man charged after authorities remove ‘suspicious item’ from Huntersville apartment (WSOC)

While they were inside Coleman’s apartment, police said they found something very strange. Once officers determined it was a bomb, they evacuated the area.

“When the officer went inside the residence, they noticed an unusual device, something that was similar to an explosive device,” said officer Odette Saglimbeni.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Bomb Squad was called in and safely detonated the bomb, officials said.

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The US Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force (CRFTF) then tracked Coleman down in Winston-Salem, hiding behind a home.

Police charged Coleman with two counts of weapon of mass destruction and two counts of firearm by a felon. Authorities said Coleman’s charges are connected to a domestic incident and the explosive device that they found.

Channel 9 learned that Coleman is a convicted felon. He has several others charges from other counties in North Carolina, including:

Purchase/possession of malt beverages by an individual under the age of 21 -- 2002 in Halifax County
Using profane/harassing/threatening language over the phone -- 2002 in Halifax County
Possession of drug paraphernalia and operating a vehicle without a license -- 2003 in Halifax County
DWI -- 2009 in Martin County
Conspiracy to commit larceny over $1,000 -- 2010 in Edgecombe County
Communicating threats and other misdemeanors -- 2013 in Edgecombe County
Larceny of firearms -- 2015 in Edgecombe County

Police said they’re still trying to figure out why he was building an explosive device in an apartment and what was the intended target.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Fire Department, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Bomb Squad and the Huntersville Fire Department responded to the scene to assist Huntersville Police.

This is an ongoing investigation. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.