Diver Finds Active Tear Gas Grenade in Oklahoma Lake

Authorities say a dive driver made a startling find while exploring a lake in Oklahoma, stumbling across a tear gas canister that was still live.

The Love County Sheriff's Office said in a post by Facebook that the diver initially called authorities Thursday saying he had “found some kind of bomb or smoke grenade” as he explored the depths of the Marietta Landing area of ​​Lake Murray.

Authorities attended the scene and soon confirmed the device found was a live CS gas grenade, the sheriff's office said.

The An Oklahoma Highway Patrol bomb squad was called to the scene and also confirmed the device was a live CS grenade dating to the early 2000s, authorities added.

The bomb squad pickedup the grenade safely. He is expected to detonate and destroy it at an offsite location at a later date.

In a photo shared by the sheriff's office, the grenade is labeled “M7A3 Riot CS”.

The US military has described the type of device found as a riot control hand grenade.

“The M7A3 is a CS filled incendiary type grenade. The smothering agent is designed for counterinsurgency control and other tactical missions. It's an anti-riot grenade that can also be used to simulate casualties during training.”

It was unclear how the live grenade ended up in the lake.

Authorities applauded the diver for contacting agents about the find.

“This is a great example of a citizen who locates something they knew to be dangerous and contacts (authorities) so they can properly dispose of it,” the Love County Sheriff's Office said.

Sheriff's office encouraged others making similar findings to contact authorities so such devices can be disposed of “safely”.