WWII Japanese Mortar Found on Illinois Street

Bloomington, Illinois The Springfield bomb squad was called to downtown Bloomington for reports of a suspected UXO. According to Bloomington Police Department Spokesman Officer Bryce Janssen, police were called to the 400 block of East Washington Street, where a person had located a suspicious device on the ground.

The Illinois Secretary of State Police Hazardous Device Unit responded to the scene where the area around the ordnance was cordoned off. Janssen said they suspected it was a WWII-era .50 caliber mortar from Japan, but it was deemed inert and safely removed. No indication was given as to how the ordnance ended up on the street.