USC briefly closed part of campus on Friday after “hazardous materials” were discovered, with some media reports indicating the dangerous item was a military grenade.
The item, however, was later deemed to be “inert,” school officials said.
The school confirmed shortly after 1 p.m. Friday that “out of an abundance of caution, access to the Downey Way Parking Structure at UPC will be temporarily restricted while LAPD evaluates hazardous materials discovered in a garage storage area.”
The Los Angeles Police Department said they responded to the 3600 block of McClintock Avenue at about 12:35 “for a suspicious item.” That address corresponds to the parking garage.
Media reports indicate the item found was a grenade, though school and police officials have not yet confirmed that.
Shortly after 2:30 p.m., the school posted to social media that access to the parking structure “has been fully restored.”
“LAPD determined suspected hazardous materials were inert,” the school added.
In another grenade-related incident, three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were killed by a grenade they thought was inert last month.
Luis Zuniga contributed to this report.
