Students have returned to the Elms Elementary School in Jackson after a "suspicious item" was spotted in a student's backpack this morning that turned out to be a fake grenade.

Poilice investigate suspicious object at Elms Elementary School in Jackson
Poilice investigate suspicious object at Elms Elementary School in Jackson (Ocean County Signal/Ocean County Police Blotter via Facebook)
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Jackson Police in a statement on their Facebook page determined the object to be a practice, or "dummy" hand grenade purchased at a flea market after talking to students and staff.The New Jersey State Police Bomb Squad was brought in to confirm that it was inert.

Surplus military training grenades are the same outer shells as live grenades, but in a training setting, according to the Ocean County Signal, the fuse and charge only simulate a detonation with an explosive equivalent to a small firecracker and a discharge of white  smoke. They are typically painted blue to designate their use for training only.

According to a statement on the school district website, students who arrived for the 8 a.m.  Extended School Year/Camp P.A.W.S. program were relocated to the Goetz Middle School across the street as police investigate the object the backpack which is in the school parking lot. They were returning to the school at 10:30 a.m.according to Allison Erwin, Coordinator of Communications and Technology for the Jackson School District.

Erwin says 400 students are involved in the summer camp program.

Robotic device examines backpack at Elms Elementary School in Jackson
Robotic device examines backpack at Elms Elementary School in Jackson (WABC TV)
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Students who attend the 9 a.m. session were brought directly to the Goetz school.

"There is no cause for alarm. The students are not in harm’s way," reads the district's initial statement. "Students will remain with their district staff members at Goetz until police inform us they may return to Elms."

 The Ocean County Signal contributed to this report.

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