Eddyville, Kentucky Lyon County Deputies joined forces with Fort Campbell EOD Technicians to dispose of explosives discovered in the personal belongings of a late veteran. According to a social media post from Sheriff Brent White of the Lyon County Sheriff's Office, they found yellow banded TNT, hand grenades, M117 booby trap devices, military grade blasting caps, and other military ordnance on the property.

White took the opportunity to remind anyone who comes across explosive devices to avoid touching or moving them. Instead, citizens should notify a local law enforcement agency so they can properly dispose of them.

The sheriff's office also issued thanks to the 184th Ordnance Battalion, 49th OD CO out of Ft. Campbell for their assistance, and to deputies Joe Witherspoon and Seth Pool who assisted in the safe removal of the items.

Calaveras County, California The Calaveras County Sheriff's bomb squad was deployed three times in one week to dispose of explosives discovered in both Calaveras and Tuolumne counties, the according to a news release from the Sherriff's Department. Items recovered included an IED, a rocket-propelled grenade and about 500 old blasting caps.

The IED was found in an abandoned vehicle with expired registration that was scheduled to be towed when a loaded handgun and suspected IED were discovered. The bomb squad moved the device to a safe location and rendered it safe, confirming in the statement that there was "presence of a high explosive."

The next day, the squad was called out again when landfill workers found what they believed to be a live explosive while they were sorting through garbage. According to the press release, "During the investigation, they learned someone had thrown the (ordnance) out with their trash and may have been in there for days."

The munition was identified as a projectile from an RPG launcher. The round was countercharged and disposed of on-site in a remote location.

[More]

Norfolk, Nebraska The Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) was called in to examine a different type of firework in over the 4th of July weekend. The NSP Bomb Squad reported that it responded to the scene of a live grenade at a Norfolk residence.

An NSP bomb technician determined the grenade was from at least before 1950 but had no other details. The bomb squad safely removed the device to be disposed of following established disposal procedures. NSP officials issued a reminder that people should always call 911 when coming across any military ordnance.

Cleveland, Ohio Six members of the Cleveland Bomb squad resigned over alleged safety concerns with their new supervisor. Reportedly, the six officers were especially incensed after a recent training exercise at the Airport was conducted with live explosives vs a simulant potentially putting personnel and the airport at risk.

In their resignation letters the officers said they would return to the unit if the supervisor was removed. According to Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Herold Pretel, there are no immediate plans to remove the supervisor as investigations so far has turned up no wrongdoing. But police officials have added an extra supervisory position to the unit.

[More]

Los Angeles, California Police responded to residential property after receiving a tip of a large cache of illegal fireworks. Police removed between 3,000 and 5,000 pounds of fireworks from the house using three box trucks and a 53-foot trailer.

In the cache, officers found 40 items described as 'explosive devices' along with '200 similarly made smaller devices'. The total weight of the explosive devices was reported as 10 pounds. Due to concerns that the explosive devices were unstable, the bomb squad brought in a truck mounted containment vessel designed to sustain a blast from 15 pounds of explosives. However, when the items were detonated in the truck, resulting blast ripped the truck apart and flipped over nearby parked cars.

At least 17 people - 10 law enforcement personnel and seven residents were injured as a result of the blast. LAPD Chief Michel R. Moore told reporters at a news conference - "Now this is a semi-truck, multi-ton, commercial-grade transport that, within it, has an iron chamber that is meant for this, where they house explosive material that can be safely detonated." He added: "This vessel should have been able to safely dispose of that material."

[More]

Glendora, California the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb squad responded to a residential property after the great-grandson of a deceased homeowner was cleaning out the basement when he found 22 sticks of very old dynamite in a cardboard box.

Members of the bomb squad, told reporters covering the find that the dynamite had turned grainy and deteriorated to the point that the nitroglycerin had crystallized resembling mold on cheese. Some sticks had bent and others looked as if they were about to break, said Det. Oscar Corcio, also on the bomb squad.

[More]

Fort Gordon, GA Utility crews digging a new trench for a water supply line just outside Fort Gordon encountered a mortar round. Army officials at Fort Gordon contacted the local police department since the UXO was found outside of the military installation.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office bomb squad responded and positively identified the item as a military munition. Following the discovery, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office described their role as one of assistance, saying Fort Gordon authorities "have operational command of the incident at this time." However, a Fort Gordon spokesperson stated to press covering the story, "the incident was outside the grounds of the post, so the sheriff's agency had the lead role."

Riverside County, California David Werksman, a 22-year deputy with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department died of complications due to the coronavirus. Werksman joined the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in 1998, working in the jails, on patrol before joining bomb squad, an assignment he held for 11 years before moving into the Sheriff's Department's administration unit, handling public records requests.

[More]

Lake Worth Beach, Florida A Goodwill Outlet Center was evacuated after the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad responded to a call of a grenade in the building. Reportedly the grenade (specific type not reported) was found in a box with other donated material. The bomb squad safely removed the grenade from the building and people were allowed back into the center.

Hingham Massachusetts The Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad responded to a call of a grenade at Linden Ponds, a continuing care retirement. Family members found the grenade during a visit with their 95-year old relative who lives at the facility.

The family member reportedly moved the grenade outside away from the buildings and other residents before calling the police. The bomb squad determined that the grenade was an inert replica. Authorities checked the apartment unit for other potentially dangerous items but no other items were located. Although it did not contain an hazard, the resident turned over the replica grenade to the bomb squad for disposal.