Man Tried To Take Grenade On Pittsburgh Airport Flight: Indictment

PITTSBURGH, PA — A man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly attempting to take a live flash-bang grenade onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport in November.

The one-count indictment charged Zachary Vincent Velling, 26, of Morgantown WV with possession of an unregistered firearm.

According to the Indictment and information from the Allegheny County Police Department, on Nov. 12 Velling entered the airport security checkpoint and placed his carry-on luggage through the X-ray machine. Transportation Security Administration officers noticed a suspicious object in the luggage, which county police officers determined to be a MK24 MOD 0,6 bang/flash diversionary hand grenade.

The grenade is a firearm and destructive device under federal law that was not registered to Velling in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

“Attempting to pass through airport security with any firearm or destructive device poses an unacceptable risk of harm to the innocent traveling public,” Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti said in a statement. “This danger is heightened when, as in this case, the destructive device is possessed illegally."

Velling faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of as much as $250,000, or both.