Hand Grenade Donated To Thrift Shop Prompts Evacuation In Oregon

A city in Oregon went into high alert over the weekend after someone donated a hand grenade to a thrift shop, KATU reports. The chaotic incident started at 11:15 a.m. Saturday (February 14) at a thrift shop in Junction City, Oregon.

Staff with Junction City St. Vinnie's told police they found what appeared to be a hand grenade inside one of their donation boxes, according to the Junction City Police Department. The donator's identity is unknown.

Authorities evacuated the building and shut down off nearby streets as they investigate the explosive device. Reporters say explosive ordinance technicians from the Eugene Police Department arrived at the scene around 12:30 p.m.

"The Explosive Ordinance Technicians... X-rayed the device and did not believe it contained a detonator cap," according to JCPD. "For safety, they secured the device in a safe manner, took possession of the device and will be destroying it... We want to thank community members for assisting us by staying clear of the area for the duration of this incident."

The thrift shop and all of the surrounding streets have since reopened. Since nobody knows the identity of the donator, it's unclear if the police will investigate.