This was a close call. On Wednesday, a man threw an explosive device near a polling station in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania State Police, the explosive device detonated beneath a vehicle parked near the polling station where voters were preparing to cast ballots in the Democrat primary for Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. After investigating the crime, authorities were able to arrest two suspects connected to the explosive device and discovered 17 more illegal explosives in their possession. CBS News provided the identities of the suspects and gave a full report on the investigation: Two Pennsylvania men who had 17 illegal homemade explosives were arrested after a device detonated near a polling place in Lehigh County on Tuesday, according to a criminal complaint. On Wednesday, Matthew Pletz, 57, and Jack Pletz, 25, were both charged with weapons of mass destruction, risking catastrophe and more after an explosive device detonated in Catasauqua during Tuesday’s primary election. Pennsylvania State Police in Bethlehem responded to Salem United Church of Christ, which was a polling place in the primary election, in Catasauqua Tuesday morning, for the report of an explosive device that detonated in the area of the 600 block of 3rd Street. According to a criminal complaint, first responders found remnants of an explosive device at the intersection of Walnut and 3rd streets, which is west of the church. The explosive device was consistent with the construction of “M-type” explosive devices, the criminal complaint said. Investigators at the scene in Catasauqua recovered footage that allegedly captured the sound of the explosion, according to a criminal complaint. Matthew and Jack Pletz were allegedly inside a green 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck and fled the explosion, a criminal complaint said. In the video, a driver was seen driving a Chevy Equinox through a plume of smoke. The driver of the Equinox told police that they saw a Chevrolet pickup truck with Matthew Pletz and Jack Pletz allegedly inside, driving north when they heard a loud bang, according to the criminal complaint. Security footage recovered also shows Matthew and Jack Pletz at the intersection of 3rd and Walnut streets inside the Chevrolet pickup truck moments before the explosion. The scene: Police recovered 17 explosives after a device detonated near a Lehigh County polling place Tuesday, court documents show. https://t.co/PmupcVKd6V — CBS Philadelphia (@CBSPhiladelphia) May 20, 2026 The Hill provided details on the primary voting that was occurring at the polling station before the explosive device detonated: The polling site was located inside of the Salem United Church of Christ in the small eastern city in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District. Catasauqua is a suburb of Allentown and had a population of 6,518 in the 2020 census. Democratic candidates competed in Tuesday’s primary in the 7th District to determine a challenger for incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie. Retired firefighter and union leader Bob Brooks won 41.7 percent of the vote and will face off with Mackenzie in the November election, according to Decision Desk HQ. Police secured the area following the incident. Local election officials told local station ABC 6 that the road closure had a negative impact on voter turnout, despite polls remaining open. “Prior to all of this happening, we were getting a steady stream of people in,” said Catasauqua Judge of Election of the 3rd District Louis Draxler. “Since this has occurred, and the streets are all blocked off, we’re getting very few people coming in.” Threats to polling places are not new. The Brennan Center for Justice reported that at least 227 bomb threats were made to voting centers in the 2024 election, including in Pennsylvania. What’s your assessment? This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.