Veteran threatens to use grenade

Authorities evacuated a Ladson apartment building Thursday morning after they say a depressed military veteran threatened deputies with a grenade.

The man, in his 50s, was taken into custody just before 11 a.m. without incident, said Dorchester County sheriff's Maj. John Garrison. The man was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

Garrison said deputies responded to the Cooper's Ridge apartment complex about 9 a.m. after dispatchers received a call that a partially paralyzed man in a wheelchair was holding his caretaker at knifepoint.

The man let the caretaker go shortly after deputies arrived. When deputies entered his apartment, the man, who was in a bedroom, produced a grenade and threatened to use it, Garrison said.

Deputies cleared surrounding apartments and called in the Charleston County Sheriff's Bomb Squad. A Dorchester County sheriff's deputy talked the man into dismantling the grenade and giving it to him before the bomb squad arrived.

Garrison said it appeared the charge that made the grenade capable of exploding had been removed before the man threatened the deputies.

No one has been charged in the incident. Garrison said they will decide on charges after the man's evaluation.