What started as a routine baggage screening at Gulf Shores International Airport ended with the recovery of five stolen Fort Morgan cannonballs after TSA officers initially feared they had found a live explosive.
The unusual incident unfolded July 18 when Lead TSA Officer Justin Dupree noticed what appeared to be a large opaque object while screening a passenger’s checked bag. At first, he thought it might be a medicine ball.
Instead, officers found five cannonballs wrapped in paper towels.
“My first thought was, ‘I couldn’t see a fuse and need to get some help quick,’” Dupree recalled. “I couldn’t see the entire item but was scared I might have been holding a live explosive.”
Dupree immediately notified Supervisory TSA Officer Richard Cash, who reviewed the X-ray image and agreed the bag could contain a dangerous item.
“I observed the X-ray image and the bag and concurred we had a potentially dangerous item,” Cash said. “I then instructed Justin to maintain control of the bag until I made the proper notifications.”
Cash contacted the TSA’s regional explosives specialist and assistant federal security director for law enforcement, who advised notifying local authorities. Deputies with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office responded while TSA officials worked to determine whether the items posed a threat.
Investigators later determined the cannonballs were inert and contained no explosive material or active components. Even so, Cash said they were prohibited because they are considered artillery munitions.
The cannonballs varied in size, with the largest about the size of a grapefruit and weighing roughly the same as a small shot put.
“I had never seen anything quite this unique,” Dupree said. “I’ve seen inert grenades and training munitions but never an Indiana Jones-esque stolen artifact-type situation.”
A police investigation determined the cannonballs had been stolen from Fort Morgan, although the passenger whose bag contained them was unaware they had been taken, according to TSA. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office returned the artifacts to the state historic site.
According to CNN, Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Nathan Lusk said an out-of-state juvenile took the cannonballs. Lusk said Fort Morgan’s director declined to pursue prosecution after the artifacts were returned while the Alabama Historical Commission continues investigating how they were removed.
Completed in 1834, Fort Morgan served during the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and both World Wars. It is best known for its role in the Battle of Mobile Bay, where Union Rear Adm. David Farragut famously declared, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.”
Cash said the incident was only the second involving a potentially dangerous item since Gulf Shores International Airport opened in May 2025.
“I had never seen anything like this,” Cash said. “It was my first time dealing with a potentially live explosive, and it’s actually only the second incident we’ve had since JKA opened in May 2025.”
TSA Alabama Federal Security Director Tara Corse praised the response by TSA officers and local law enforcement.
“I am very proud of the great catch and teamwork by Officers Dupree and Cash and TSA Alabama along with our tremendous partnership with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and Gulf Shores Police Department,” Corse said. “Even if inert and not active, travelers should avoid bringing weapons of any kind, including replicas, to the airport. They can cause security alerts, flight delays and safety concerns.”
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
