Fake Grenade Found at Elementary School

Officials said a student may have brought the toy onto the campus

Investigators were called to an elementary school in Clairemont Tuesday morning after a fake grenade was discovered on campus, officials from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department confirmed.

At around 10:15 a.m., officials with the Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) arrived at the school located at 4050 Appleton St. to investigate the suspicious device.

Officials got hold of the device and soon determined it was a fake toy grenade and it posed no threat. Officials said they could tell it was fake by its weight. The elementary school was not evacuated and no one was injured in the incident.

By 12:10 p.m., fire officials and school police had cleared the scene.

According to investigators, it appears a student brought the item to school.

Linda Zintz, communications director of the San Diego Unified School District, said another student told the principal that a student had a grenade. The principal then notified school police.

Zintz, who could not comment on the age or sex of the student, said the district has a zero tolerance policy. However, she doesn’t know how this policy will ultimately apply to the student involved in this incident, including what consequences this student might face.

Zintz said the school will send out a notice to parents regarding the incident. The school has about 300 students from preschool to 6th grade. Zintz said she’s not aware of any prior incidents at the elementary school campus involving students bringing fake or real weapons to the school.

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