SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Crews working on a new Sandy Springs park said they unearthed an antique mortar shell while constructing a nature trail Thursday afternoon.
Workers said at first, they thought they dug up a Coke bottle at Sandy Springs’ Lost Corner Preserve on Dalrymple Rd.
“We were just digging with a track hoe, moving the top of the grass around and we dug up a live mortar round I guess,” said Bobby Russell, who was working at the site at the time.
Russell said the round was less than a foot below the surface, and had likely been there for a while.
“We were amazed, so we just told the guys to get back and we called the authorities,” said Russell.
“It was actually determined that it was a live round,” said Sandy Springs police Sgt. Ron Momon.
Momon said authorities do not know exactly how old the 60-millimeter round is.
Sandy Springs called in the Cobb County explosives team to remove the mortar and detonate it off-site.
Now police want to know how it got to the area.
“Maybe a person tried to find a wooded place? To get rid of the ordnance,” said Momon.
Regardless, Momon said, leaving the live mortar there was not a good idea.
“I would advise anyone, if you come across something, call the police and let us come out and deal with it,” said Momon.
Even though the device is gone, Russell and his cohorts are concerned about others.
“We’re worried about it, so they’re scanning the area right now,” said Russell.
Police have cordoned off the area surrounding the location where the device was found as a precaution as they continue to scan for other possible explosives.
Investigators also plan to do some research on the area to find out why the mortar shell might have been there.