PALATKA, FLORIDA – Staff at a Goodwill store in Palatka, Florida, evacuated the building on Thursday after discovering a live grenade among donated items.
The grenade was found in a donation bin near a back door of the store at 103 South State Road 19. Palatka police responded immediately, ensuring the area was cleared for safety.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad safely removed the grenade and detonated it at a secure location.
A Goodwill spokesperson emphasized that the grenade never reached the retail floor and urged donors to carefully inspect items before giving them to the store. Authorities reminded the public not to touch suspicious objects and to alert law enforcement immediately.
Palatka, in northeastern Florida, is roughly 60 miles south of Jacksonville.