A loaded pistol magazine was found aboard a Frontier Airlines flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, prompting a large-scale security operation involving local and federal authorities.
The magazine, which contained ten piercing rounds, was discovered near seat 7A on an Airbus A320 that had arrived from Cincinnati and was preparing for its return flight. A passenger who spotted the magazine alerted the flight crew, who immediately notified Atlanta Police.
Following the discovery, the pilot declared a full security inspection and instructed all passengers to deplane. TSA officers, K-9 units, Homeland Security personnel, and airline staff conducted a sweep of the aircraft and its passengers. No additional suspicious items were found, and the flight later departed back to Cincinnati.
The letters “K H” were found on the magazine, though it remains unclear who it belongs to. A Frontier spokesperson claimed it belonged to a law enforcement officer who had flown earlier on the same aircraft.
In a statement seen by Fox 5, a spokesperson said, “A subsequent investigation confirmed that the ammunition belonged to a law enforcement officer who was on an earlier flight on the same aircraft. The ammunition and magazine were taken into the custody of the Atlanta Police Department, and the property owner was referred to Atlanta P.D. to retrieve his items.”
However, an Atlanta Police official told FOX 5 that no definitive confirmation has yet been established regarding the owner. The FBI, which also reviewed the incident, found no active threat.