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Grenade in grandfather's belongings kills man, injures 2 teens

The family in Indiana was reportedly going through a grandfather's belongings when they found the grenade.
Grenade in grandfather's belongings kills man, injures 2 teens
Posted at 8:25 AM, May 22, 2023
and last updated 2023-05-22 14:15:07-04

A grenade blast killed a man and injured two teenagers over the weekend in Indiana. 

According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, the family was going through a grandfather's belongings when they found the grenade. 

"Someone reportedly pulled the pin on the device and it detonated," the Lake County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on Facebook. 

Emergency crews were called to the scene and found the man unresponsive. He was pronounced dead a short time later, officials said. 

The teenagers, 14 and 18 years old, suffered shrapnel wounds and were taken to a hospital in the area, the sheriff's office stated. 

Due to the nature of the incident, homicide detectives are investigating. 

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It's not uncommon for families of aging U.S. war veterans to find grenades. Many service members kept the explosive devices from their time in combat service. 

The FBI says most of the devices found today are from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War or the Gulf War. 

"They are highly dangerous, and only a trained bomb technician should handle them," the FBI notes. 

The FBI's field office in St. Louis said it in 2022 that it's starting to receive more calls about potentially explosive military devices as older veterans begin to die. 

People who find an old grenade are asked to contact their local police department so it can be safely removed. 


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