A Randall County grand jury indicted 18-year-old Kevin Hunt on multiple serious charges Wednesday, following allegations that he planned a violent attack during Fourth of July celebrations in Canyon earlier this year.
Hunt faces charges of Components of Explosives, Attempt to Commit Capital Murder of Multiple Persons, and Terrorism, according to Randall County court records. The new indictments come in addition to a separate federal charge filed in September in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division. That charge — Attempted Use of a Weapon of Mass Destruction — highlights the severity of the case now spanning both state and federal jurisdictions.
Authorities said Hunt was arrested in July after investigators discovered he was allegedly in possession of materials commonly used to create explosive devices. According to court documents, those items included Hexamethylene Triperoxide Diamine (HMTD), Hexamine, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, energetic powder, BBs or shotgun shell shot, electric matches, and a pyrotechnic firing device.
Prosecutors allege Hunt intended to combine these components to carry out a violent act such as capital murder, aggravated assault, or terrorism. Officials have not detailed how far along the alleged plan had progressed or whether Hunt had identified specific targets, but investigators emphasized that the public was not harmed.
In early October, court documents show that Hunt was scheduled to undergo a psychiatric evaluation ordered by a federal judge. The examination, expected to last over 30 days, is intended to determine whether Hunt is competent to stand trial and whether any mental health condition affected his behavior at the time of the alleged offenses.
A judge granted the request for the evaluation after concerns were raised about Hunt’s mental state and his ability to understand the nature of the charges against him. The results of the evaluation will likely play a significant role in determining how both the state and federal cases proceed.
At this time, Hunt remains in custody. Authorities have not announced trial dates for either the Randall County or federal proceedings.
The Canyon community, which hosts annual Independence Day events that draw large crowds, continues to grapple with the unsettling nature of the allegations. Officials have praised the coordinated work between local law enforcement, federal investigators, and prosecutors in preventing what could have been a devastating attack.
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