Grenade Found Near CSUN Proves a Dud

A World War II-era grenade found near the Cal State Northridge campus Monday afternoon was a dud, but it caused a lot of consternation.

The two campus officers who found it in a van were not worried it would explode. They saw that the bottom bolt of the grenade had been loosened, allowing the gun powder to sift out, and that its flip-up lever had been fastened in place.

But when the officers brought the grenade into the campus station, their superiors did not give them a medal for good observation. They called the Los Angeles Police Department bomb squad and evacuated the station. “Based on the grenade’s appearance and the circumstances at the time, the officers felt confident that it was a dummy,” said campus Police Lt. Marcus Hissong. “But it would have been my recommendation to leave the device where it lay.”

The grenade was discovered at 12:30 p.m. in a van belonging to a man campus police believe is homeless. The van was traveling on Nordhoff Street, half a mile east of CSUN, when the officers noticed its registration had expired.

They pulled over the van, declared it unsafe, impounded and searched it. That’s when they found the grenade.

Upon being notified, LAPD officials told campus police to evacuate the station as well as an area including an office building housing about 40 people. “You can’t assume anything when handling a suspected explosive device,” said LAPD spokesman Mike Partain.

Hissong said campus police are seeking the owner of the van, who left the scene after the vehicle was impounded. Hissong said the man will be questioned but probably not arrested.

He also said the officers will receive additional training concerning suspected explosives.