HARLAN CO., Ky. (WYMT) - Kentucky State Police issued a warning Friday, involving public safety concerns in Southeastern Kentucky.


They say explosives could be hidden throughout Harlan County.

Investigators tell us they were working Thursday, with Mark Sawaf to find explosives he allegedly hid there; however, when he got into an altercation with them, a Lexington firefighter shot and killed Sawaf.

Sawaf was arrested in June on federal charges.

Police say they found several trail cameras in the woods of Harlan County earlier this summer, rigged with explosives.

Later, Mark Sawaf was charged in connection with the devices.

"Apparently he rigged a camera and some fella found it and took it home or whatever. Then when he opened it up, it exploded,” said Jerry Haynes, who lives close to where the shooting occurred.

That story matches up closely with one outlined by an ATF official in sworn testimony, during a detention hearing in June, following Sawaf's arrest.

Haynes continued, "I think he lost a finger or maybe two fingers.”


Police say, however, that was far from the only camera Sawaf placed in the woods.

"If you see something in the woods that just doesn't look right, or you see a trail camera, I'd be very cautious and contact state police so we can make sure that trail camera does not have an explosive camera inside of it,” said Trooper Shane Jacobs, with Kentucky State Police.

Sawaf was actually a licensed clinical counselor for years, and even a former business owner.

Prosecutors say he admitted to purchasing and making bombs.

"It's a very big safety concern to us and to the public,” said Jacobs.

He allegedly placed some of the bombs in the woods, near several houses in the Woodland Hills subdivision.

"It's a form of terrorism. Somebody that would do that is pretty evil. To have it right here in the backyard is pretty scary,” said Haynes.

What remains uncertain is Sawaf's intentions for allegedly putting so many people in harm’s way.

Police say several explosives were found during their investigation Thursday and destroyed.

Sawaf owned and operated mental health and substance abuse counseling services in Harlan and Lexington.

On his Facebook page, he often posted politically-charged posts targeting Donald Trump and supporting President Obama and liberal ideas.

He seemed to be a big supporter of the drug, suboxone.

From what we can tell in his pictures, he was a hunter who posted trail cam pictures, but called for more gun control in some posts.

His Facebook page has since been taken down.

The Lexington firefighter that shot Sawaf is Captain Brad Dobrzynski.

The Lexington Mayor's Office says he has been placed on administrative duty.

Since 1996, Lexington fire investigators have been allowed to carry weapons.

This is the first time a Lexington firefighter has been involved in a deadly shooting.