Scottsdale police say one person was arrested on an unrelated matter after an incident near a hotel in Old Town.
Jonnie Edward Sanders was arrested on an unrelated misdemeanor warrant for writing bad checks as a result of Friday's investigation, Scottsdale police said.
Police responded Friday afternoon after an officer saw a subject with a tactical vest and what looked like grenades inside a vehicle close to the W Scottsdale, on Camelback Road just east of Scottsdale Road.
The man would not communicate with the officer and acted suspiciously, police said.
That led the officer to call for back up.
Law enforcement locked down the area and searched while waiting for the Mesa Police Department's bomb squad.
Authorities searched the area and found no explosives, though four or five people were detained as part of the investigation.
Scottsdale police said the group was with a private security outfit. Firearms, including a shotgun, were found in their vehicle and all were wearing bulletproof vests. Police said the group told them varying stories and the identity of the group’s security client was unclear.
One of the members of the private security detail was arrested on an outstanding warrant, police said. Sanders was taken into custody.
The items thought to be grenades spotted initially turned out to be products made by a pellet gun manufacturer, according to Scottsdale police.
It does not appear that the group had plans to hurt anyone, police said. The initial suspect with the fake grenades had a possible mental disability which might have led to the lack of initial communication with the officer, police said.
