WASHINGTON — Two magnet fishing enthusiasts made an unusual discovery Sunday while casting from the Theodore Roosevelt pedestrian bridge, which connects Washington, D.C., with Arlington, Virginia.
Kevin Sutliff and Ian White, who have been magnet fishing in the DMV area for four years, reeled in a bucket containing what authorities later identified as an inactive hand grenade.
“We’d been fishing for about 25 or 30 minutes when I pulled up what appeared to be a grenade,” Sutliff explained. White, also present, described the moment as adrenaline-filled, saying, “We knew we needed to call it in and ensure it was handled safely.”
U.S. Park Police responded to the scene and contacted Homeland Security and the Metropolitan Police Department. Law enforcement remained on-site for over an hour before confirming the grenade was inert.
“They told us it was an inert device and mentioned consulting the military to determine what would happen next,” Sutliff said.
Magnet fishing, a hobby aimed at cleaning waterways while retrieving items to keep, donate, or recycle, often leads to surprising finds. Last November, WUSA9 reported on magnet fishers recovering 31 scooters and bikes from the Anacostia River. White even recalled discovering a pistol during a previous outing.
Authorities may allow Sutliff to keep the grenade after further examination.
