Man in Custody After Checking Bag With Military Artillery Fuses, Sting Ball at John Wayne Airport

A 27-year-old year old man was in sheriff's custody Wednesday following his arrest for allegedly trying to bring three military artillery fuses and a less-lethal sting ball grenade in his checked bag on flight from John Wayne Airport to Denver, authorities said.

The devices were discovered when Transportation Security Administration staff ran the luggage through screening sometime after 2 p.m. Tuesday, said Orange County sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock. The grenade projects small rubber pellets when detonated, he said.

All of the devices were in safe condition with no threat of detonation, Hallock said.

Authorities evacuated Gate 21 and escorted all of the Denver-bound passengers, including the suspect, off of Frontier Airlines flight 264, Hallock said.

The suspect, whose name was not made available Wednesday morning, was arrested on suspicion of possessing a weapon in an area of the airport where it is not allowed, Hallock said. When authorities checked the man's carry-on bag, there was nothing suspicious in it, Hallock said.

Military officials were summoned to take possession of the devices, Hallock said, adding that airport operations were back to normal by about 3:30 p.m.

– City News Service.