CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A 12-year-old boy from Virginia was killed by a grenade he had purchased at an antique store, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in a news release.
The boy died on Dec. 23 after the grenade exploded. He had purchased the grenade on June 13 at an antique mall near Charlotte, North Carolina.
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CNN reported the grenades were thought to be “chemically inactive” Mk2 grenades, a style used during World War II.
The seller and the buyer believed the grenades were not hazardous or functioning, the agency said.
The ATF added that grenades may pose a hazard to the public and can contain live explosives.
ATF is asking for anyone who visited Shallotte, near the Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach area, and purchased an “inert” grenade from the Fancy Flea Antique Mall in June 2020 to contact the Charlotte Field Division at 704-716-1800 or the Washington Field Division at 202-648-8010.
The ATF did not release information on how many of the grenades may have been sold at the antique mall.
If you have any information, you can call the ATF at 1-800-ATF-TIPS (800-283-8477), or email the agency at ATFTips@atf.gov, or through the ReportIt app.