Passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight at Houston’s Hobby Airport had to be deplaned and re-screened after a Taser was found.
A law enforcement source told KPRC 2 that a crewmember on Southwest Airlines Flight 28 bound for Dallas Love Field discovered a civilian-style Taser before takeoff. These legal, non-lethal self-defense devices use compressed nitrogen to fire two small probes that create a rapid electric shock that temporarily paralyzes the attacker.
The pilot immediately deplaned the passenger and contacted the Transportation Security Administration, which conducted a comprehensive security check on the passenger and his carry-on luggage. During the process, Houston Airport System staff and law enforcement officers escorted passengers through the terminal.
After additional checks, all passengers were allowed to reboard, and the flight took off about two and a half hours later.
“Due to potential safety concerns, we have decided to rescreen passengers on Tuesday’s Southwest Flight 28 from Houston to Dallas,” a Southwest spokesperson told reporters. The Independent. “Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”
A civilian-style Taser was reportedly found onboard Southwest Airlines Flight 28 at Houston’s Hobby Airport on Tuesday, prompting passengers to deplane and be rescreened (Getty Images)
Travelers reported further inspections upon arrival in Dallas, with authorities verifying IDs and checking carry-on bags before connecting flights.
Sources tell KPRC 2 that law enforcement confirmed the Taser did not belong to the Southwest flight crew or any officer. Southwest also deferred requests for more details from the Transportation Security Administration and law enforcement.
independent The Transportation Security Administration and the Hobby Airport Police Department have been contacted for comment.
The Houston Taser incident is the latest in a series of airline safety issues in recent months. In February, a Delta Air Lines flight from Hobby Airport was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff when a passenger acted violently and attempted to approach the cockpit, forcing other passengers to restrain him.
Southwest has faced its own disruptions, including earlier this month when a flight was diverted to Atlanta due to passenger-related safety concerns involving phone timers and a passenger was arrested for assaulting an off-duty federal officer on a flight between Miami and Denver.
Airport operations have been hampered by funding shortfalls at the Department of Homeland Security, with Transportation Security Administration officers working without pay. During a busy spring break travel period, more than half the TSA screeners at Hobby shouted loudly, causing security lines to last more than two hours.
The FAA declined KPRC 2’s request for comment for this story, saying “the FAA is a safety regulator, not a safety agency.”
independent The FAA has been contacted for comment.
