Needham

Magnet fisher says he pulled live mortar out of Charles River in Needham

Sean Martell livestreamed his discovery of an explosive Friday

NBC Universal, Inc.

A busy road in Needham, Massachusetts, was shut down for a short time Friday evening after unexploded ordnance was pulled out of the Charles River.

Police in Needham said they responded to Kendrick Street, where a person had pulled the device from the water while magnet fishing.

Sean Martell livestreamed his shocking discovery on his YouTube channel, Brockton Magnet Fisher.

"Oh no. That's a bomb, guys," he said as he pulled it up onto the bridge.

He told NBC10 Boston hours later that he found a live mortar, adding that he's glad it was him who found it and not a child.

"As soon as I put it down, I saw that it had the head on it still, and I was like, 'I'm going to have to call the police,'" Martell said.

Local police and firefighters responded to the scene, near the Newton line, as did the Massachusetts State Police bomb squad.

Authorities determined the device needed to be destroyed, which they said was set to happen near where Needham, Dover and Wellesley meet. Police sent an alert to the phones of people in the area notifying them of the plans to detonate the object.

In addition to the mortar, Martell says he pulled out a gun with a broken trigger guard.

Martell says he enjoys pulling out metal to clean up waterways and help the environment.

Police called it an isolated incident and said there is no danger to the public.

The road has since reopened.

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