Officials said that a scuba diver made a surprise discovery while exploring a Oklahoma lake, when he stumbled upon a live tear gas grenade.
In a Facebook posting, the Love County Sheriff’s Office reported that the scuba diver first called authorities on Thursday and said he “found some kind of bomb or smoke-grenade” when exploring the depths in the Marietta Landing region of Lake Murray.
The sheriff’s department said that authorities quickly arrived at the scene to confirm the device was a CS gas grenade.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol bomb squad responded to the scene. They confirmed that the device was a CS grenade. The sheriff’s department said they were able date the device back to the early 2000s.
The bomb squad collected the grenade safely and planned to destroy it later at an offsite site.
A photo posted by the Sheriff’s Office shows the grenade labeled as “M7A3 CS Riot.”
The U.S. Army described the device as a hand grenade for riot control.
The M7A3 is a CS filled burning type grenade. The choking agents are designed for counterinsurgencies as well as other tactical missions. The riot-control device can also be used for training purposes to simulate injuries.
The grenade was found in the lake, but it is not known how it got there.
Authorities applauded scuba diver who contacted deputies to inform them of the discovery.
The Love County Sheriff’s Office stated that “this is a good example of a person locating something dangerous and contacting the authorities so it can be properly disposed.”
The sheriff’s office encouraged other people who find similar devices to contact authorities, so that they can be disposed “in a secure and safe manner.”
