News Release from Ellijay Police Chief Edward Lacey:UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE FOUND

On November 18, 2013 at approximately 3:45 PM the Ellijay Police Department responded to a call at 347 North Main Street (Cartecay Thrift Store) regarding a suspicous item. Upon arrival, officers found an object which appeared to be a very old and rusted piece of military ordnance or artillery shell. Volunteers of the Thrift Store advised Police that they were cleaning out portions of their warehouse and upon emptying a bucket of donated scrap metal the shell fell out and they notified Police.

Ellijay Police notified the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Bomb Squad and the US Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team out of Dobbins AFB. Both teams arrived to investigate the item. During their investigation, the Air Force EOD utilized portable X-Ray equipment to inspect the item. Research of military databases of explosive ordnance did not provide an exact identificatoin of the item. Due to their training and experience, however, the Air Force EOD determined the item to be an probable projectile from a World War II era three inch artillery piece.

As a safeguard, the USAF EOD team took possession of the suspicious item and with the permission of a local land owner and under the supervision of the GBI Bomb Squad utilized a small exlosive charge to neutralize the item. The explosion took place at 7:40PM. Once the item was neutralized the item was confirmed to have been a practice or training round.

The Ellijay Police asks the public to take seriously any and all items which appear to be US military ordinance and to call 911 in all instances where such ordnance is found. The Unites States Code requires the military to take possession and dispose of any and all such items.