OREANDA-NEWS. A homemade bomb was found near a public center in the Ankeny, Iowa. The explosive device was defused, according to a statement from local police.

«The device found today at the «Lakeside Center» was identified as a homemade bomb. A specialist from the fire department defused this bomb, and an investigation has begun in connection with the incident», Ankeny City police said in a statement on Twitter, posted on Wednesday, March 3.

The local «Des Moines Register» reports, that the «Lakeside Center» public Center is being used by the authorities as a polling station ahead of a local vote on the allocation of funds from the city fund. According to police, the bomb was found at about 9.30 am in a parking lot near a pubic center. It is noted, that the bomb was defused at about 11.50 am and «The Washington Post» newspaper notes, that the center opened it's doors to visitors at about 12: 30.

«I am deeply concerned to learn, that a pipe bomb was found at a polling station in Ankeny today», member of the House of Representatives Cindy Axne wrote on Twitter. She added, that «this threat to our elections is unacceptable» and noted, that those responsible for the incident «must be held accountable for this attempt at violence against democracy and citizens».