Flashbang Grenade Found in Carry-On Sparks Federal Investigation at Pittsburgh Airport

Travelers passing through Pittsburgh International Airport on November 12, 2024, likely had no idea that a routine security check would uncover something far from ordinary. Zachary Vincent Velling, a 26-year-old from Morgantown, West Virginia, stepped up to the TSA checkpoint and placed his carry-on bag on the x-ray conveyor. What happened next jolted airport staff and sparked a federal investigation that’s still reverberating through the courts.

Inside Velling’s luggage, TSA officers spotted an odd shape on the scanner. Allegheny County Police soon confirmed it was no innocent item, but an MK24 MOD 0 flashbang grenade, a device designed to disorient with light and sound. Federal law classifies it as both a firearm and a destructive device, and Velling hadn’t registered it. Now, he faces a federal indictment for possession of an unregistered firearm, a charge that could land him in prison for up to a decade.

The incident raises pressing questions about airport security and how such a device slipped into a carry-on bag in the first place. TSA data from 2024 shows firearms turning up in luggage at an unsettling rate, one per 135,370 passengers screened. Most cases involve handguns, often loaded, but a flashbang grenade stands out as a rare and alarming find. Unlike firearms, which TSA permits in checked baggage if unloaded and locked, destructive devices like this have no place on a plane, period.

Velling’s case isn’t the first to test airport defenses. Back in 2015, undercover teams from Homeland Security exposed glaring weaknesses, sneaking mock explosives past TSA in 95% of tests. Since then, upgrades like advanced x-ray machines and stricter protocols have tightened the net. Yet, incidents like this one show the system isn’t foolproof. Travelers caught with prohibited items face not just federal charges but also fines and a ban from TSA PreCheck, a steep price for what some claim is ignorance of the rules.

When Allegheny County Police identified the grenade, Velling initially faced state charges, including possession of an offensive weapon. Those were dropped once federal prosecutors took over, a move that reflects the gravity of the offense under national law. The National Firearms Act, dating back to 1934, requires registration of devices like flashbangs, and failing that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine. Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti called the incident an unacceptable risk to travelers, underscoring why federal authorities didn’t hesitate to act.

This handoff from state to federal jurisdiction isn’t unusual. Legal experts note that federal law often steps in when cases involve interstate travel or devices crossing state lines, as airports inherently do. A Supreme Court ruling from 1939, United States v. Miller, cemented federal power to regulate such firearms, and today’s prosecutors lean on that precedent. Still, debates linger over where state and federal lines should blur, especially as local laws differ widely on gun ownership and registration.

Catching Velling didn’t happen in isolation. The investigation pulled together the FBI, ATF, TSA, Allegheny County Police, and the local district attorney’s office, a lineup that shows how seriously officials take these breaches. Joint efforts like this are increasingly common, with agencies pooling skills to tackle everything from illegal firearms to trafficking rings. Virginia’s task forces, for instance, have teamed up with federal partners to trace guns tied to drug crimes, proving the value of shared intel.

Flashbangs themselves stir a different kind of debate. Law enforcement uses them to stun suspects in tense standoffs, but their risks, burns or injuries from debris, have led some departments to rethink their deployment. Civilians, though, have no legal business with them. The ATF keeps a tight grip on who can possess such devices, and Velling’s case drives home why. Unregistered weapons, including a surge in homemade ‘ghost guns,’ have kept federal agents busy, with over 19,300 seized in 2024 alone.

For the average person waiting at a gate, this case might feel like a distant headline. But it’s a stark reminder of what’s at stake every time a bag rolls through security. TSA and its partners argue that education is key, pushing travelers to double-check their luggage for anything that could trigger a red flag. One slip, intentional or not, can snarl operations, endanger lives, and land someone in a courtroom facing years of consequences.

Velling’s fate now rests with the courts, where he’s presumed innocent until proven otherwise. His indictment marks one incident in a broader push to clamp down on unregistered firearms, a challenge that’s evolved from the 1930s gangster era to today’s homemade weapon kits. As air travel rebounds, balancing safety with efficiency remains a tightrope walk, and cases like this test just how steady that balance holds.