In the early hours of Sunday, January 5, 2025, at 2:30 AM, Lake City Police officers responded to NE Jackson Avenue after an alert from the FLOCK Gunshot Detection System. While handling an unrelated call, officers heard a loud explosion nearby.
Upon investigation, officers discovered gray smoke rising from the yard of a vacant residence. A melted plastic soda bottle was identified as the source of the smoke, with additional melted bottles emitting gray smoke also found in the yard.
The Lake City Fire Department was called to assist due to concerns about hazardous chemicals. As a precaution, residents of 759 NE Jackson Avenue were evacuated while authorities determined the source of the chemicals.
The investigation revealed that 35-year-old Matthew Paul Mixon of Lake City had mixed two chemical compounds inside the bottles, shaken them, and thrown them into the neighboring yard to observe the resulting explosions.
Mixon was arrested and transported to the Columbia County Detention Center. He faces charges of Making or Attempting to Make a Destructive Device and Disturbing the Peace. His bond was set at $12,000.
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