Live Grenade Prompts Evacuation Of Palm Desert Sheriff’s Station

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Palm Desert station was evacuated Friday afternoon after a woman brought in a live grenade.

The incident happened at 1 p.m. Deputies quickly made sure everyone was out of the new building on Gerald Ford Drive, and blocked off some traffic immediately outside the facility.

Deputies said the woman, who was in her 60s, found the Japanese World War II device Thursday night, while cleaning out her recently deceased boyfriend’s apartment. She told deputies she wanted to get rid of it.

The department dug a hole and detonated the grenade at 3:35 p.m.

No one was injured.

Both lanes of Gerald Ford, which were shut down as a safety precaution between Portola and Gateway Drive, were re-opened.

Deputies said if anyone finds ammunition or weapons, call police and do not transport it yourself.