Two men charged after police discover pipe bomb in their car

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Two suspects reportedly found with a pipe bomb Saturday in St. Paul were charged in federal court this week with two counts of possessing unregistered and stolen firearms, according to a criminal complaint.

Frederic Pittman III and Monttraill Claiborne were pulled over and apprehended by police after a 911 caller reported the two had allegedly caused a scene at a Super America store in St. Paul just after 5 a.m., arguing with a group of women and pointing at them with guns, officials said.

In searching the men's car, officers located three guns, at least one of them later determined to be stolen from St. Louis. They also located a duffel bag with a suspicious device made out of PVC pipe in the car's trunk, ultimately calling the bomb squad for safe disposal.

Investigators discovered a homemade pipe bomb made with explosive powder, similar to that used in commercial fireworks.

One count of possessing an unregistered firearm stems from the pipe bomb and the second charge relates to the several guns seized from the suspect's car, which was rented by Pittman and another woman in July and had the contract renewed in early August.

In interviews with police, both suspects said they didn't know where the explosive device or the guns came from.