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Grenade shuts down Clinton riverfront

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By Steven Martens | Monday, June 19, 2006 11:41 PM CDT | () comments

CLINTON, Iowa — A hand grenade found by a young boy just south of the City of Clinton Showboat forced police to close down Riverfront Drive for about two and a half hours Monday afternoon.

Clinton police said a man and his son were walking along the riverfront at 1:46 p.m. Monday spotted what he thought was a rock and brought it to his father. When the father saw that it was a hand grenade, he placed it in a planter between the showboat and the dock for the Mississippi Belle II riverboat casino and called police.

Police blocked off Riverview Drive from 5th Avenue South to 6th Avenue North and told pedestrians to evacuate the area. The area remained closed until 4:16 p.m.

The Mississippi Belle II was on the river for a regularly scheduled cruise when the grenade was found, said Paula Mayer, marketing manager for the casino. She said the boat was scheduled to return to dock at 3 p.m., but stayed on the river until about 5:30 p.m.

The Quad-City Bomb Squad and the State Fire Marshal Bomb Squad responded to the scene and removed the grenade from the area for disposal. Also assisting the Clinton Police Department were the Clinton Fire Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The incident remains under investigation by the Clinton Police Department and State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Police urged anyone who finds a device that appears to be an explosive to not touch it and call police immediately.

Steven Martens can be contacted at

(563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.