During a routine baggage screening on July 18, 2026, TSA officers at Gulf Shores International Airport (JKA) in Alabama discovered five Civil War-era cannonballs in a passenger's checked bag. The artifacts, described by TSA lead officer Justin Dupree as "about the size of grapefruits," initially appeared on the X-ray screen as a large opaque item, which Dupree first mistook for a medicine ball.

Dupree said, "My first thought was, ‘I couldn’t see a fuse and need to get some help quick,’" and added, "I couldn’t see the entire item but was scared I might have been holding a live explosive." Supervisory TSA Officer Richard Cash noted this was his first encounter with a potentially live explosive at the airport.

The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office later confirmed the cannonballs had been stolen from Fort Morgan, a historic fort in Gasque, Alabama. Dupree remarked, "I’ve seen inert grenades and training munitions but never an Indiana Jones-esque stolen artifact-type situation." He also noted this was only the second such incident since the airport opened in May 2025.

The discovery prompted involvement from regional TSA explosives specialists and local law enforcement to ensure safety and investigate the theft.

Sources