Live WWII-era hand grenade brought to Tacoma Police headquarters Wednesday
Tacoma Police encountered a potentially explosive family heirloom Wednesday afternoon.
A woman brought a World War II-era hand grenade to the police department headquarters for disposal, police spokesperson Shelbie Boyd said in a phone call. She added via text that the grenade had been passed down from a former military family member.
“While the intentions were good, please don’t bring grandpa’s war souvenirs to the lobby,” the police department posted on Facebook Thursday. Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams from the police department and the U.S. Army disposed of the live grenade safely.
Boyd said that people may come across old explosives if someone from an older generation passes it on or after buying a property, vehicle or storage shed. While people might think it helps out the police department to bring the device to them directly, it’s safer to leave it where it is, Boyd said.
“You just never know how stable those things are,” she said, adding that if officers are called, they can make an assessment and then call for assistance if necessary.
