ALTUS Okla_Investigators in Altus say they believe they prevented a major tragedy when they found bomb-making material at the home of an Altus airman.

26-year-old Senior Airman Timothy Carey was arrested after the raid. They found more bomb-making material at a storage unit he was renting. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations received a tip from witnesses saying Carey made comments about having explosive devices at his home. He was also bragging that he could use those devices at Wal-Mart to "tie up" law enforcement and other city resources, while he used more devices somewhere else.

Altus Police Chief Tim Murphy said they took the threat very seriously.

"The citizens that reported to OSI obviously took the threat very serious, too," Murphy said. "I think Altus could have very well avoided a very tragic situation here."

Altus Air Force Base released a statement Wednesday, thanking the individuals who brought this incident to light. It stated, "The incident is currently under investigation. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations and state and federal law enforcement agencies have worked diligently to ensure the safety of local citizens and military members."

Residents of Camelot Mobile Home Park said Carey lived in the area. They said they had no idea why several different law enforcement agencies were at their mobile home park all day long.

"I had no idea what trailer it was or who it was," resident Sherry Rawlins said. "I was kind of really afraid, because my home is here. My children come here and see me and my grandchildren come here and see me. I didn't know what was going on at all, so we were kind of scared and worried, like, ‘What is going on here?' You could see everything from my trailer."

Around 7:00PM Tuesday, two search warrants were executed; one on Carey's trailer at the mobile home park and another at a storage unit he rented on Falcon Road. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Bomb Squad and the FBI searched his home and found the explosives. Police and the US Air Force OSI then arrested Carey while he was at work at Altus AFB.

"I think we've stopped a serious threat here," Murphy said. "It may not have happened yesterday, but we very well could've stopped a threat that would've happened next week or next month. So I'm proud of everybody that was involved."

Carey is being held without bond at the Jackson County Jail, and he will have his initial appearance before a judge Thursday morning.