Workers renovating a Tacoma home found two inert WWII-era armor-piercing tank rounds, prompting a response from police and explosive ordnance experts.
TACOMA, Wash. — A home renovation project in Tacoma led to an unusual discovery this week when workers uncovered two World War II-era armor-piercing rounds, prompting a response from the Tacoma Police Department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit.
According to Tacoma police, officers were called to a residence undergoing renovations on June 3 after a suspicious object was found on the property. Patrol officers responded and requested assistance from the department’s EOD Unit to determine whether the item posed a threat.
EOD technicians examined the object and identified it as military ordnance, according to Tacoma police. A subsequent search of the property uncovered a second suspicious item.
Tacoma police said further inspection revealed the objects were M77 90mm armor-piercing rounds dating back to World War II. The rounds, which historically were fired from tanks and anti-tank cannons, were made entirely of steel and weighed approximately 23.4 pounds each.
Authorities said the rounds did not contain explosives and were determined to be inert.
Although the discovery turned out not to be dangerous, Army EOD personnel were called to safely take custody of the military artifacts.
Police advise anyone who encounters a suspicious military-looking object not to touch or move it. Instead, they should leave the area and call 911 so trained personnel can assess the item and ensure it is handled safely.
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