Lee County Sheriff’s Office –
CIVIL WAR ORDNANCE LOCATED
Last week, Lee County deputies with the Southwest Florida Regional Bomb Squad responded to assist the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office with a piece of military equipment used in the civil war. Deputies determined that the item was a 3-inch Hotchkiss Artillery Shell that was likely used during the mid to late 1800s.
The main function of this regional Bomb Squad is to prevent devices like this from posing immediate dangers to the public. After these highly-trained technicians determined that the ordnance was live, it was collected and brought to the Charlotte County landfill to be countercharged.
The Hotchkiss Artillery Shell was a confirmed piece of civil war memorabilia that sat in an antique store for years. Due to the efforts from the Southwest Florida Regional Bomb Squad, it was rendered safe.
