Cops: man shoots target, causes "boom"

BUSTI, N.Y. (WIVB) - Lakewood-Busti Police say a 20-year-old man was responsible for a very large explosion that rattled windows and could be heard for miles, even across the border into PA.

The loud “boom” in the southern tier had several people contacting News 4 Sunday evening, questioning what caused the sound . Monday afternoon, Lakewood-Busti Police say a 20-year-old man was responsible for the large explosion.

Sgt. Investigator Paul Gustafson said, "We had reports as far away as Bradford, Pennsylvania. [It] caused an extreme explosion, causing a mushroom cloud and a fireball. No one was hurt in this incident but it was an extremely dangerous situation."

Police say the man told an investigator that he was in a ravine on Lawson Road in Busti, when he mixed three six-pound boxes of Tannerite together, and shot the product with a 30.06 rifle. When he shot the target shooting accessory, police say it caused an explosion and the noise residents heard.

Tannerite is viewed as very dangerous by law enforcement authorities and is possible of creating very powerful explosions.  This uncredited YouTube video shows 20lbs. of Tannerite being detonated underneath a vehicle.  The manufacturer recommends using no more than 0.5lbs. at once, for safety reasons.

The product was legally sold at a sporting goods store and police say there are no charges being filed at this time. The product is used for target practice with long-range rifles. It can be difficult to tell the accuracy of a shot from a long distance, and the explosion caused by Tannerite lets a marksman know if the shot hit its mark.

"I certainly told him what was done here as a day of having fun target shooting with his friends could have easily turned deadly. And he certainly agreed with me and knows how close he came to injuring if not killing himself and his friends," said Sgt. Investigator Gustafson.