Residents in the Homesteads and surrounding area were alarmed Thursday to hear ‘machine gun’ fire.  It began as single shots around 2pm – and sounded like someone was target practicing with a single shot gun. The shots seem to come from near the Homestead Elementary School.  That lasted for 15 minutes when suddenly the single shots turned into rapid fire ‘machine gun’ type shooting.  More than likely it was a ‘bump stock’ equiped rifle which turns the gun into a rapid fire ‘machine gun’ and is illegal.

For months, residents all over Cumberland County have also noticed loud explosions – sounds like a bomb going off.  Some say it is Tannerite which can produce a very loud explosion when used for target practice and not illegal.

Tannerite is a brand of binary explosive targets used for firearms practice and sold in kit form. The targets comprise a combination of oxidizers and a fuel, primarily aluminium powder, that is supplied as two separate components that are mixed by the user. The combination is relatively stable when subjected to forces less severe than a high-velocity bullet impact.

Because it is sold as separate components which are not themselves explosive, it is not regulated by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and can be transported and sold in many places without the legal restrictions that apply to explosives; however, a number of U.S. states have restricted its use.

CNF has reached out to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department to find out if there is an investigation into the ‘machine gun’ and Tannerite use for target practice.