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PEACHTREE CITY — Peachtree City police are working to correct misinformation circulating online after a hand grenade was discovered among donated items at A Better Way Ministries on Thursday morning.
According to the Peachtree City Police Department, employees sorting donations found what appeared to be a hand grenade and moved it outside the building to a remote corner of the property before officers arrived.
Responding officers determined the item appeared to be a genuine hand grenade but could not determine whether it was inert. Out of an abundance of caution, police secured the area and requested assistance from the Clayton County Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit.
EOD technicians examined the device and confirmed it was a hand grenade. However, they were unable to determine whether it had been rendered inert. The grenade was collected and safely removed for disposal.
Police officials emphasized that reports circulating online describing the incident as involving an improvised explosive device (IED), threats, notes, secondary devices, or other suspicious circumstances are inaccurate.
Investigators traced the donation to an elderly donor whose family had possessed the grenade for decades as a war-era keepsake. According to police, the item was inadvertently included among a large quantity of donated belongings and was not discovered until ministry employees began processing the donations.
Lt. Chris Hyatt of the Peachtree City Police Department said the investigation found no indication of criminal intent, and no charges are expected. Police determined the device had been accidentally donated rather than intentionally placed at the ministry.
Hyatt also explained that situations involving old military memorabilia are not uncommon. Law enforcement agencies frequently encounter grenades and similar items that have been stored in attics, basements, and family collections for decades. While some have been rendered inert over the years, bomb technicians generally focus on whether a device can be safely handled and transported rather than making a final determination about its operational condition.
Because smaller agencies do not maintain their own bomb squads, Peachtree City relies on specialized regional partners such as the Clayton County EOD Unit to evaluate and dispose of potentially dangerous devices.
The grenade recovered Thursday will be destroyed by EOD personnel using established disposal procedures.
No injuries were reported, and police said the situation was resolved safely.
The department thanked the Clayton County EOD Unit for its assistance and encouraged residents to rely on official sources for information when incidents like this occur.
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