Dog poop bag dispenser causes scare at Oregon school, mistaken for suspected hand grenade
An Oregon middle school had quite a scare before police determined that a suspected hand grenade was not actually a weapon. It was a dog poop bag dispenser.
Officers responded to a grass field near the Patton Middle School's track in McMinnville, Oregon on Dec. 18 after reports of a possible hand grenade. Students were school staff students secured inside the school during the investigation, the McMinnville Police Department wrote in a Facebook post.
Arriving officers secured school grounds and contacted the Oregon State Police Bomb Squad. Using drones, officials took close-up pictures of the item and determined the item was just a bag dispenser designed to look like a hand grenade.
"We removed the item that day, just so it wouldn't continue to cause alarm," patrol Capt. Scott Fessler told USA TODAY on Thursday.
The department thanked the staff at Patton Middle School for quickly working to ensure students' safety during the scare, and the state's bomb squad for their assistance.
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No sign it was left intentionally
The department determined there is nothing to indicate that the device was left on school grounds to intentionally cause distress, according to Fessler.
"There hadn't been any threats towards the school or that area or anyone in particular in that area," Fessler said. "So there's really nothing on the onset that we're aware of to indicate that it was done intentionally."
Fessler added no owners have came forward as the one who left the item behind.
"I would really be surprised if somebody came forward unless it was to maybe just say, 'Hey, sorry for causing the concern," he said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Hand grenade' at middle school was actually just dog poop bag holder
