HOUSTON (KXAN) — Passengers catching early-morning flights were told to evacuate a checkpoint at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport after a 17-year-old Boy Scout with a toy grenade caused a security scare.
The TSA security line was shut down after the item was found in the scout’s bag during screening,local NBC affiliate KPRC reported.
The Boy Scout was carrying the toy as part of an exercise on what not to bring to an airport, Houston police said.
The airport tweeted shortly after the evacuation that the device had been removed and the checkpoint was reopening.
The airport warned passengers to expect delays going through security and to check your carrier to see if your flight was impacted.
According to an Associated Press journalist going through the checkpoint, Transportation Security Administration workers shouted “Shut it down! Everyone leave!” at about 4:35 a.m., forcing hundreds of people to evacuate when the toy was found.