Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) discovered a weapon that one officer described as having "Wolverine-style claws and Freddy Krueger blades." The unusual item was found during a routine security screening.
Officer Douglas Linn noticed the object on the X-ray monitor, reporting, "I saw three blades and distinct claw-like features." He expressed surprise, stating, "I have never seen anything like this during my two years at TSA."
Upon manual inspection of the bag, Officer Dennis Oishi confirmed the presence of the dangerous item. Supervisory TSA Officer Ann Rhoades described the find as one of the most unusual items she had encountered in her seven years with the TSA.
"My first thought was, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and my second thought was, ‘Is this what I think it is?’" Rhoades said. When asked if there was anything sharp in the bag, the passenger reportedly replied he wasn't sure.
The TSA federal security director for Seattle, Robert Spinden, commended officers Linn and Oishi for their vigilance and professionalism. "Their actions prevented a prohibited item from moving beyond the checkpoint and reinforced the importance of careful screening, clear coordination and calm execution," Spinden stated.
This discovery is one of several unusual items TSA officers have found at airports recently. In other incidents, officers have found a spent smoke grenade hidden inside an aerosol container at Watertown International Airport in New York, and a knife concealed within a flashlight at Tampa International Airport.