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TSA Officer Justin Dupree Discovers Stolen Civil War-Era Cannonballs in Passenger Luggage at Alabama Airport

Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree discovered five stolen Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger's checked bag during a routine security screening at Gulf Shores International Airport on July 18. Initially identifying the objects as potential medicine balls, Dupree feared the artifacts were live explosives because they lacked visible fuses. Supervisory TSA Officer Richard Cash confirmed the items were inert, though they were ultimately prohibited from boarding the plane as artillery munitions. Local law enforcement determined the cannonballs were stolen from Fort Morgan, a historic military site in Alabama. A juvenile stole the artifacts from a storage area at the fort and placed them in his grandmother's luggage without her knowledge. The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office returned the artifacts to the fort, which declined to press charges. The discovery highlights the importance of travelers avoiding bringing weapons or replicas to the airport to prevent unnecessary security alerts and flight delays.

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