On November 12th, at approximately 10:35am, the Grants Pass Dept. of Public Safety received a report of a possible explosive device located near the driveway for the North McDonald’s on NE 7th street. Officers arrived in the area and confirmed there was what appeared to be a hand grenade located in the landscaping near the driveway. The Oregon State Police Explosive Unit responded to assess the device and assist with the call. After recovering one device, the Tech located three more devices partially buried in the dirt. These devices were all recovered without incident.
Further inspection was conducted on all four devices. After inspection, it was determined three of the four devices were live. At the time of the recovery, the immediate area around where the devices had been located was checked and no other items of concern were located. After checking the entire area more thoroughly for any other potential devices, authorities have found no indications of additional devices or threats.
The department would like to use this incident as an opportunity to remind the public to use extreme caution when observing or locating devices that appear to be explosive. Without extensive training and safety equipment, it is always recommended to contact local law enforcement for assistance with recovering and rendering safe any potential device or suspicious package.