A routine security check at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) took an unsettling turn when Transportation Security Administration officers spotted an object that appeared to belong in a horror film.
As they examined X-ray images, TSA officers noticed what looked like a bizarre combination of Wolverine-inspired claws and Freddy Krueger-style blades, according to agency officials.
“I saw three blades and distinct claw-like features,” officer Douglas Linn said in a report published on the TSA website Oct. 27.
“I was amazed, and even more so when it came out of the bag. I have never seen anything like this during my two years at TSA.”
Officer Dennis Oishi, the agency’s property search officer, inspected the carry-on and quickly confirmed that it contained a dangerous item.
The TSA later shared an image of the unusual discovery on Instagram. Fox News Digital contacted the agency for additional details.
Although the item initially looked like a movie prop, officers soon learned that it was real.
“In my seven years with TSA, this is one of the most unusual items I have encountered. My first thought was, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and my second thought was, ‘Is this what I think it is?’” said Supervisory TSA Officer Ann Rhoades.
Rhoades said the passenger was unable to confirm whether the bag contained anything sharp when Oishi asked. “Obviously, there was,” she added.
The traveler ultimately removed the object from the bag voluntarily.
“Officers Linn and Oishi demonstrated the vigilance, teamwork and professionalism that define TSA’s mission every day,” said Robert Spinden, Seattle TSA’s federal security director.
“Their actions prevented a prohibited item from moving beyond the checkpoint and reinforced the importance of careful screening, clear coordination and calm execution,” Spinden continued.
“I’m proud of their attention to detail and their commitment to keeping the traveling public safe.”
The claw-like weapon was only the latest unusual discovery reported by TSA officers in recent weeks.
At Watertown International Airport (ART) in upstate New York, a routine screening recently led to the discovery of a spent smoke grenade concealed inside an aerosol container in a passenger’s carry-on bag.
The agency detailed that incident in a Sept. 24 release.
At Tampa International Airport, TSA officers also found a 4-inch, double-edged knife hidden inside a flashlight designed to resemble a baseball bat, according to the agency’s website.
TSA Officer Andrew Carter was examining the passenger’s carry-on with an X-ray machine when he noticed something unusual about the flashlight and sent the bag aside for further inspection.
“The makeup and composition of the flashlight appeared unusual and outside what I typically expect, so I determined it required further examination,” Carter said in the agency’s account.
Supervisory TSA Officer Michael Slaughter then searched the bag and detected a hard object beneath the lining. After opening the lining, he located the bat-shaped flashlight and noticed a seam running along its shaft.
“That is when it detached from the flashlight, revealing a 4-inch, double-edged knife integrated into the handle,” he said.
