Massachusetts State Police Respond to Explosive Discovery in the Charles River

Massachusetts is a state deep-rooted in the history of our nation. From Paul Revere to the Boston Tea Party and everything in between, the timeline of our great nation's formation can be traced throughout Boston and eastern Massachusetts.

With a history that dates back to the early 1600s, it is no surprise that Massachusetts is home to some very, very old buildings, artifacts, and even homes. It's not uncommon in the greater Boston to come across families or businesses that still have ties to the early years of the state. In fact, Massachusetts has almost 200 historical designations with 57 of them located in Boston proper.

Stumbling across artifacts from the nation's early years isn't exactly uncommon in Massachusetts, but State Police were recently called the discovery of not so common discovery.

On Friday, March 1, 2024 members of the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad responded to a call on Kendrick Street in Needham for an explosive discovery, pun intended.

A citizen had been magnet fishing in the Charles River and scored a catch that they had never seen before. The state police report originally identified the object as a piece of "military ordnance". The rusted, metal object was approximately 12” long and 4” in diameter

When the State Police Bomb Squad arrived on the scene, Needham Police had the area secured with the at this point unknown object sitting on the sidewalk.

After conducting a visual inspection of the object, MSP Bomb Squad Sgt. Paul Horgan and Trooper Scott Irish determined that it was a military projectile in a severely deteriorated state and required proper disposal.

Needham Police and Firefighters identified a suitable disposal site, where the projectile was secured and transported to. Bomb Squad members safely countercharged and disposed of it without incident.

The Bomb Squad is a part of the Troopers Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit, responds to hundreds of calls each year to examine suspicious or hazardous items and render them safe when necessary, according to a release from Massachusetts State Police.