LAKE CITY, Fla. --
A man who found a rocket lying in a grassy area in Lake City brought it to the Lake City Police Department on Sunday so police could dispose of it, Lake City police said.
They said officers with prior military experience determined the device was a live, high-explosive military round.
Police contacted the Alachua County Sheriff's Office Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, which identified the explosive as a M427 rocket with 2.3 pounds of composition B, a mixture of TNT and Semtex, both of which are highly explosive.
Alachua County deputies did not have the means to transport the device, so police said they contacted the U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville. Police said they were advised to set a perimeter for safety, forcing them to close Main Boulevard for about two hours.
The U.S. Navy was able to safely transport the device to the Osceola shooting range and safely dispose of the device, police said.
Police said they don't know how the device ended up on the side of the road. Lake City police said they would like to remind all residents that if they come across any suspicious item or anything that appears to be some type of explosive, do not approach the item. Instead, back away and call the police.
Anyone who knows how the rocket ended up on the side of the road is asked to call the Lake City Police Department 386-719-2068.
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