Inert grenade leads to Pittsburgh school evacuation

City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh School Police block the entrance to West Liberty Elementary School on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2016, after the school was evacuated because a student brought in a non-active grenade according to Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler. (AP)
The Associated Press

A family relic prompted the evacuation of a Pittsburgh elementary school Thursday morning when police received a report that a student had brought a grenade to school, officials said.

Students and staff at Pittsburgh West Liberty K-5 in Brookline were evacuated as a precaution about 9:40 a.m., and the Pittsburgh police bomb squad removed the grenade, later determined to be non-active, according to Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler.

Students and staff were moved to nearby Pittsburgh South Brook while police investigated, according to a social media post by Pittsburgh Public Schools. Both South Brook and Pittsburgh Pioneer were locked down as a precaution.

The bomb squad determined the grenade was inert, Toler said. It was discovered to be a family relic brought in by the student.

The grenade was removed and police checked the facility with a canine as a standard procedure, according to a statement from the school.

Students were allowed back into the school about 10:35 a.m.