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Sarasota, FL - Authorities say Sarasota Police officers were called to Sarasota Military Academy just after 11 a.m. Tuesday after a student’s backpack was reported as suspicious.
School staff notified law enforcement, who responded to the campus and relocated students and staff from the nearby building as a safety precaution.
Officers secured the area and temporarily closed Orange Avenue between 8th and 10th Streets while awaiting a bomb squad from another law enforcement agency.
Investigators examined the backpack and determined it contained several grenades that were inactive but real.
Police said the bottom of each device had been drilled out, rendering them incapable of detonation.
The grenades were safely removed from school property by the responding bomb squad.
Officials confirmed that no one was injured and no explosive threat remained at the scene.
After police cleared the area, classes resumed and normal school operations continued.
Authorities have not released the name or age of the student involved, and no charges have been announced as of Wednesday.
Investigators are still reviewing the circumstances surrounding how the grenades came into the student’s possession.
The Sarasota Police Department thanked faculty, students, and parents for their cooperation during the incident and said their quick reporting and response helped ensure everyone’s safety.
The department continues to coordinate with school officials as the investigation remains ongoing.