Ok, Who Left Their Hand Grenade at West Temple Community Park?
You know what's cool? Finding a weirdly shaped rock or a pretty flower at the park. Know what's not cool? Finding a freakin' hand grenade.
Not only did someone find one at a park in Temple Wednesday, but they picked it up and took it home with them.
Yeesh.
Alejandra Arreguin with the Temple Police Department reports that officers responded to a call in the 7700 block of Honeysuckle Drive. The caller told police they found a grenade at a West Temple Community Park, 8420 W Adams Ave. They decided to take it home with them before calling authorities, and police determined that it was the real deal.
Fort Hood Explosive Ordnance Disposal was called to collect the grenade and safely remove it from the home. They didn't need to discharge the explosive, and the resident won't face any criminal charges.
“It is unusual to find explosive devices in the area, but it is certainly a possibility while living close to a military base, but they must be handled professionally,” Deputy Chief McNeill Fairey said. "“Remember, any explosive device can become unstable even by picking it up."
Fairey asked that anyone who finds an explosive device should call 9-1-1 immediately and never touch or move the device.
This reminded me of something that happened to my mother about ten years ago. She was working at the old Motel 6 in Temple when one of the housekeepers came into the office and laid a bundle wrapped in a towel on the counter.
"Miss Marie," she said, "I found something weird under the sink in a room."
That "something weird" turned out to be a pipe bomb.
My mom called 9-1-1 and started clearing everyone out of the office and nearby rooms. A bomb squad came out, and my mom and several guests had to sit in a little room together for hours as a bomb disposal robot slowly made its way toward the device.
Thankfully the bomb was a dude, and police were later able to find the couple of wiseass kids who left it there and arrest them.
It's a good thing the bomb was a dud, because my mom and several people could have been killed.
So yeah, never, ever touch or move something if you think it could be an explosive device. You may not be so lucky.
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