A maintenance worker found a hand grenade near a sports field in Rock Creek Park this morning, prompting officials to close 16th St. and call the military for help disposing of the device.
It remained unclear if the grenade was live or posed a danger of exploding, but U.S. Park Police spokesman Robert Lachance said it was determined to be "legitimate" -- not a copy or toy.
Lachance said a park worker found the grenade around 7:55 a.m. near a fence on a field near the Carter Barron Amphitheater, just off 16th St. District police were notified, and set up a security perimeter after determining it was real.