Inert grenade in Detroit airport luggage causes brief scare

ROMULUS, Mich. – Authorities say what turned out to be an inert grenade in a piece of luggage caused a brief scare and drew a heavy law enforcement presence at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

The airport in the Detroit suburb of Romulus says Transportation Security Administration officers on Thursday evening spotted what looked like a grenade inside a bag at the airport’s North Terminal. Passenger security screening was halted and the area near the bag was cleared.

Wayne County Airport Authority spokeswoman Erica Donerson says officers located the bag’s owner, who told them he was an active service member and said the inert grenade was his.

Screening resumed later Thursday and the airport returned to normal operations. The Detroit Free Press reports the passenger was cited for disorderly conduct because of the disruption.