Fake grenade forces temporary shutdown of downtown building

A toy grenade discovered in the mailroom at 2 World Financial Center on Thursday morning forced the swift evacuation of hundreds of workers in the building and a thorough bomb squad sweep.

The grenade was found in a suspicious package that was being X-rayed at around 10:54 a.m., NYPD officials said. Workers at the Liberty Street building scrambled into the streets.

By noon, police discovered it was a novelty item placed onto a plaque that read: "Complaint Dept. Pull pin," a police spokesman said.

The package was sent to a worker at the U.S. headquarters of a Japanese bank, Nomura Holdings Inc., by another employee. The company said in a statement the employee has been placed on leave during an investigation.