Projectile event in United States of America on Mon 15th April 2024

Military ordnance found in Soledad prompts evacuation, bomb squad response 

SOLEDAD — Officers from the Soledad Police Department were responding to a call for service on April 15 when they were notified of a potential threat to the community — a possible bomb in the bed of a nearby truck.

They responded and located what appeared to be unexploded military ordnance, specifically 105mm Howitzer rounds.

“We were advised that the ordnance was found buried in a nearby field, and the person picked up the box, put it in their truck, and brought it home,” police said. “The ordnance appeared old, highly corroded and appeared unstable.”

Officers shut down the surrounding streets and evacuated residents who were close by. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad arrived on scene and confirmed it was military ordnance.

The Explosive Ordnance Team from Vandenberg Air Base responded and determined the ordnance, with fuses attached, were very old practice rounds that had already been fired. The team confiscated the rounds and took them back to the base to be destroyed.

“If you stumble across something that looks like it might be a military ordnance, do not pick it up or move it, as it can be potentially lethal,” police advised. “Something as dangerous as recovered ordnance can be deadly up to 150 feet or more. Call 911 immediately.”