Passenger Discovers Loaded Gun Magazine on Plane, Prompting Evacuation and FBI Response
A Frontier Airlines Airbus A320 at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta faced a security scare as a passenger found a gun magazine with ten hollow point rounds near seat 7A, leading to the evacuation of the aircraft. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), along with Frontier Airlines, Homeland Security, and Police K-9 units, responded to the scene following the discovery.
Upon finding the magazine marked with the initials “K H,” officials alerted the FBI about the incident. Passengers were safely escorted off the plane, and after the magazine was removed and passengers re-screened, the flight eventually departed nearly three-and-a-half hours later.
Authorities from the Atlanta Police reported that the firearm part was discovered during boarding for a return flight to Cincinnati. The TSA conducted a thorough search of the aircraft, finding no additional suspicious items. The flight continued its journey after all passengers were rescreened, with the FBI informed of the situation, ensuring no active threats were present at the time.
Local news sources revealed that investigators were still determining the ownership of the gun following the incident. Witnesses on the flight, like Terry Foster and Janyia Davis, expressed surprise at the situation, emphasizing the unusual nature of the event and the relief felt after the prompt actions taken to ensure passenger safety.