Suspicious Item Found on Dane County Sheriff’s Office Squad

April 21, 2026
Elise Schaffer, PIO
Sheriff's Office

Shortly after 9:00 this morning, deputies with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office civil process unit were serving legal papers in the 4900 block of Fish Hatchery Road in the City of Madison when one of the deputies noticed a suspicious item on his squad. The item was approximately 4 to 6 inches long, wrapped in black tape, and was wedged between the vehicle’s hood and windshield. 
A large area was cordoned off, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Hazardous Devices Unit responded to investigate. After further inspection, the item was determined to be an airsoft grenade wrapped in a way that resembles an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). 
An airsoft grenade is a non-lethal tactical device used to clear rooms, provide cover, or disorient opponents. These devices use gas or springs to spray BBs over a wide radius upon impact or via a timer, mimicking explosive fragmentation. To be clear, this is not a law-enforcement tool; it is designed for private citizens to use in airsoft battles. 
It remains unclear when the item was placed on the vehicle or by whom.