Transportation Security Administration officers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport stopped a passenger carrying an unusual bladed weapon that officers compared to a horror-movie prop, the agency said.
The object turned up during a routine X-ray screening at the checkpoint. TSA Officer Douglas Linn, who spotted it on the scanner, said the image showed something resembling claws fused with blades.
“I saw three blades and distinct claw-like features,” Linn said. “I was amazed, and even moreso when it came out of the bag. I have never seen anything like this during my two years at TSA.”
Officer Dennis Oishii, serving as the property search officer, searched the bag and confirmed the item was dangerous. The passenger had been unsure how to answer when asked if the bag contained anything sharp.
“When Dennis asked the passenger if there was anything sharp in the bag, he said he wasn’t sure. Obviously, there was,” said Supervisory TSA Officer Ann Rhoades.
Rhoades, who responded to the find, said it ranked among the strangest items she has encountered in seven years with the agency.
“In my seven years with TSA, this is one of the most unusual items I have encountered. My first thought was, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and my second thought was, ‘Is this what I think it is?'” she said.
The passenger voluntarily removed the object from the bag once officers asked. TSA did not say in its public statement whether the passenger faced a fine or other consequence.
Robert Spinden, the federal security director for Seattle TSA, credited the officers for catching the item before it could reach the secure side of the airport.
“Officers Linn and Oishi demonstrated the vigilance, teamwork and professionalism that define TSA’s mission every day,” Spinden said. “Their actions prevented a prohibited item from moving beyond the checkpoint and reinforced the importance of careful screening, clear coordination and calm execution. I’m proud of their attention to detail and their commitment to keeping the traveling public safe.”
TSA publicized the discovery this week in an Instagram post. The agency routinely shares photos and accounts of unusual prohibited items found in carry-on luggage as part of its public outreach.
Other recent finds
The Seattle discovery follows other unusual TSA catches in recent weeks. At Watertown International Airport in upstate New York, officers found a spent smoke grenade hidden inside an aerosol container in a carry-on bag, according to a Sept. 24 agency release.
At Tampa International Airport, officers discovered a 4-inch double-edged knife built into a flashlight shaped like a baseball bat. TSA Officer Andrew Carter flagged the item after noticing something off about the flashlight’s composition on the X-ray image.
“The makeup and composition of the flashlight appeared unusual and outside what I typically expect, so I determined it required further examination,” Carter said.
A supervisory officer, Michael Slaughter, searched the bag and felt a mass beneath its lining. When he opened the lining, a section of the flashlight’s shaft detached, exposing the hidden blade.
“That is when it detached from the flashlight, revealing a 4-inch double-edged knife integrated into the handle,” Slaughter said.
Travelers flying out of U.S. airports, including Sea-Tac, are barred from carrying knives, blades and similar sharp objects in carry-on luggage; such items generally must be packed in checked bags.
