JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two different suspicious items were reported within hours of each other Tuesday, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
An item resembling a grenade that was discovered late Tuesday morning behind a downtown business was deemed safe, the Sheriff's Office said.
Police were called about 11:40 a.m. to a report of a suspicious item behind a business on East Monroe Street near North Liberty Street.
The JSO Hazardous Devices Unit, formerly the bomb squad, examined the device and determined it was harmless.
Paul Richardson, who was in the military, provided News4Jax with photos of the device, which he thinks is an old training grenade, probably foreign-made. However, a viewer sent an email to News4Jax, pointing out that the item found Tuesday appeared to be a decorative ornament used to hold banners on the street lanterns, which fall off frequently.
Police said a couple of businesses were evacuated, and Monroe and Duval streets were closed from Liberty Street to Washington Street for a short period of time due to the investigation.
A couple hours later, according to the Sheriff's Office, another suspicious item was found at the Greystone Industrial Park on Deerwood Park Boulevard. There was a partial evacuation.