Boy finds old, but active military grade artillery shell

The Lake County Bomb Unit was called to Willoughby Hills June 18 after a 12-year-old boy found what turned out to be a military-grade artillery shell.

According to the Willoughby Hills Police Department, the boy was playing and waded in the Chagrin River near the Eagle Road bridge. The boy noticed an “odd object” among the rocks in the water.

The boy picked up the 20-pound object and carried it through the river to his home. There, his mother took a look at the object and called the Willoughby Hills police for assistance.

Officers responded to the area and after a brief investigation contacted the bomb unit for assistance, according to the department.

The object was an “old, yet still very much active, military grade artillery shell,” according to the department.

Bomb techs responded and a perimeter was set up for them to safely remove the object. The shell was placed in an explosive containment unit and taken to another location for safe disposal, the department stated.

No one was injured during the incident. The department said it is unknown at this time how the shell found its way to the Chagrin River.

The department thanked the bomb unit for their help. The department is also reminding residents what to do if they come across something they think might be an explosive device: • Don’t touch it.

• Leave the item where it is. Even if it looks old and rusty it may still contain explosives and is therefore potentially dangerous.

• Contact local law enforcement and/or fire department for assistance.

COURTESY OF THE WILLOUGHBY HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT An “old, yet still very much active, military grade artillery shell,” was found June 18 in Willoughby Hills.