Florida woman obsessed with Columbine made 24 pipe bombs filled with nails and intended to hurt people, say police
WIMAUMA, FLORIDA: A 27-year-old woman was arrested after her parents found 24 pipe bombs hidden in her home along with bomb-making materials that had the potential to cause catastrophic damage and loss of life.
Michelle Louise Kolts' parents called 911 on Thursday, October 3, evening after making the horrific discovery, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The 27-year-old was arrested early on Friday and was charged on 24 counts of creating destructive devices and attempting to harm.
Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister shared, "I can only imagine how hard it is to call in about any family member," according to Bloomingdale Patch,
When the authorities entered her room, they found a slew of weapons including 24 pipe bombs, smokeless pistol powder, fuse materials, 23 knives, two hatches, two BB-type riffles, six BB-type handguns, and nunchucks, according to ABC.
There were also “dozens of books and DVDs" about murder, mass killing, domestic terrorism, and bomb-making. “She had become consumed with the Columbine and Oklahoma killings,” Chronister added.
During a press conference on Friday, Chronister revealed that Kolts had the intention of harming people with these destructive devices. “If used, these bombs could have caused catastrophic damage to hundreds even thousands of people,” he said.
Making matters worse, the sheriff also revealed that many of the bombs consisted of nails and metallic pellets, and a combination of both. He also said, "She made the devices and she planned to use them to hurt people."
Chronister added that her parents were heroes for calling 911 on their daughter to report her. He also spoke about how lives have been saved because of the parents' courage to report their daughter and seek help from the sheriff's office.
According to ABC News, the sheriff's office is still unaware if Kolts has retained any counsel. Her first appearance in court is due on Saturday Morning.
The sheriff's office had spoken to Kolts last year during August when she had ordered a bulk of books on bomb-making and anarchy manifestos. During the investigation, according to Fox, Chronister said, "At that time [August 2018], she wasn't diagnosed with any type of mental health diagnosis. She stated, at that time, her intentions were not to harm anyone. Her parents said she was a little on the autism spectrum."
Kolts did not resist when she was arrested early on Friday at her workplace. She is currently being held in Hillsborough County Jail on a bond of $180,000.