Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree Discovers Stolen Civil War-Era Cannonballs in Passenger Luggage at Alabama Airport
Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree identified five small, inert Civil War-era cannonballs inside a passenger's checked bag during a routine security screening at Gulf Shores International Airport on July 18. The artifacts, which were wrapped in paper towels, were initially mistaken for medicine balls or live explosives due to their opaque appearance on the X- air screen. Supervisory TSA Officer Richard Cash confirmed that while the cannonballs were inactive, they were technically prohibited items because they were considered artillery munitions. The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office determined that a juvenile had stolen the cannonballs from a storage area at Fort Morgan and placed them in his grandmother's luggage. The passenger was unaware of the theft. The artifacts were returned to Fort Morgan, a historic site that played a significant role in military conflicts. TSA Alabama Federal Security Director Tara Corse noted that travelers should avoid bringing weapons or replicas to the airport to prevent security alerts and flight delays.