Man jailed after bringing flash-bang grenade to Pittsburgh airport, police say
Security at Pittsburgh International Airport Tuesday morning caught a West Virginia man they said was trying to carry a live flash-bang grenade onto a flight.
Allegheny County Police said they arrested Zachary Velling, 25, of Morgantown, after the Transportation Security Administration officers found the device in a passenger bag at a security checkpoint about 9:35 a.m.
A flash-bang grenade is designed to produce a loud noise along with a bright flash. Law enforcement agencies sometimes use them in raids.
A bomb squad technician responded to the scene and confirmed the grenade was live, police said.
The grenade was safely removed. Police said they also notified the FBI.
Velling was charged with carrying prohibitive offensive weapons and attempting to carry explosives on a plane, police said.
Police took him to the Allegheny County Jail. He was awaiting arraignment Tuesday afternoon.
Velling’s charges and the name of his attorney were not available.
Justin Vellucci is a TribLive reporter covering crime and public safety in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. A longtime freelance journalist and former reporter for the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press, he worked as a general assignment reporter at the Trib from 2006 to 2009 and returned in 2022. He can be reached at jvellucci@triblive.com.
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