Bomb Squad Chief Dies In Blast

An Oregon State Police explosives expert working with members of his bomb squad and federal agents at a remote site in northeast Oregon was killed Thursday in an explosion.

Sgt. Richard Schuening, an 18-year veteran from the Salem area, was killed while helping to remove dynamite and other explosives from property near Granite, west of Baker City, Lt. Gregg Hastings said.

Schuening, a bomb squad field supervisor, was handling some explosives and had moved away from the other officers when the explosion occurred about 12:40 p.m., Hastings said. He was trying to dispose of the explosives and was wearing an explosives suit, state police said.

Agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were assisting the state police bomb squad.

Hastings would not reveal any information about why or how long the explosives were at the remote site.

Schuening, 53, had been a member of the explosives unit since 1989.