A St. Paul elementary school was evacuated Friday morning after a student brought what turned out to be a hollowed-out grenade to school.

The St. Paul Police Department's bomb squad responded to a report of a grenade at The Heights Community School at 1863 Clear Av. on the city's East Side. The school was evacuated around 11 a.m., soon after the emergency call was made, said Toya Stewart Downey, spokeswoman for the St. Paul public schools.

The incident started when a student showed a grenade that was in his pocket to a teacher and other students, Stewart Downey said. The student didn't have ill intentions, she said.

The grenade was later discovered to be hollowed out and not a threat, according to police.

"No one was ever in danger," Stewart Downey said.

The school, which serves about 550 students, followed safety procedures, Stewart Downey said. Students sat in warm buses until they were allowed back into the school within 30 minutes of evacuation, she said. Nobody was hurt.

In a notice sent home to parents Friday, principal Jayne Ropella said, "This situation serves as a good reminder to parents and students that inappropriate items should not be brought to school."

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495

Twitter: @stribnorfleet