ATF Agents Question Claremore Man On Explosive Devices Found In His Home

ATF agents Wednesday interviewed a Claremore man in jail, accused of having homemade explosives inside his home.

The Tulsa Police bomb squad destroyed the explosives and investigators want to know what Bob Ellison planned to do with them.

It all started Tuesday evening, when Ellison was accused of shooting out his window at a cat in his neighbor's yard. The man who called 911, said that cat was standing very close to his wife.

Rogers County 911 Dispatcher: "How can I help you?"

Caller: "I guess our neighbor decided it would be a smart idea to shoot a cat in our yard."

Caller: "My thing is, don't be shooting guns around my freaking house, because my son walked up from school after it happened. You ricochet and hit my family, it's not good."

That 911 call brought Rogers County Deputies to his house in Claremore. They say Bob Ellison told them he shot the cat, because it was wild. They say he willingly showed them the gun and ammo.

5/7/2013 Related Story: Pipe Bombs Recovered During Search Of Claremore Home

Once they realized Ellison was an ex-con, they got a search warrant and uncovered additional guns, plus small explosive devices, which Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton described as "fireworks on steroids." Then they found small pipe bombs, called crickets, that bomb techs said were more dangerous.

"The cricket would probably be capable of blowing somebody's hand off or blinding somebody if it went off in an confined area," Sheriff Walton said.

The bomb squad destroyed the homemade explosives. Deputies went through the house, collecting knives, several handguns and long guns and stacks of ammunition.

They say they don't know what Ellison planned to do with the devices, but his sister, who had stopped by to take care of Ellison's dogs, said he has always enjoyed making homemade fireworks, but that he would never hurt a flea.

"This is not a terrorist, this is not, he's just a homeboy that likes to tinker. Coming up on the fourth, probably making his own for family stuff," Carrie Eubanks said.

She said Ellison is a father and a grandfather, as well as veteran and disabled, under a doctor's care. Eubanks apologized for him harming the cat and said he shouldn't have had the guns, because of his past. But she said she wants people to know he's a good guy who never intended to harm anyone.

"Good people do really stupid things and we're sorry," Eubanks said.

Regardless of what his motives or intentions were, it is a felony in Oklahoma to build any homemade explosive device.