A female passenger allegedly attacked and injured three Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents while going through a security checkpoint at an Arizona airport on April 25, according to agency officials.
TSA agents were reportedly screening passengers at a security checkpoint at the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, when they were attacked by a 19-year-old female passenger just before 6 a.m., CNN reported. The incident ended with three injured agents, two of whom were hospitalized for their injuries, the outlet stated.
“This unprovoked and brazen physical attack against our employees is unacceptable,” the TSA said in a statement, according to ABC 15 News.
Three Transportation Security Administration officers were injured in an “unprovoked and brazen” attack by a female traveler at a Phoenix airport, the agency said. https://t.co/5pyZYs3Um8
— CNN (@CNN) April 26, 2023
“We are grateful for our committed workforce and for the role they play in protecting the traveling public every day. Unfortunately, this situation not only resulted in three of our TSA officers being injured but inconvenienced approximately 450 travelers who had to be redirected to a nearby checkpoint for security screening due to the actions of this traveler,” the statement continued. (RELATED: More Guns Than Ever Seized At US Airport Checkpoints, Officials Say)
The Phoenix Police Department took the 19-year-old woman into custody. The TSA has said it will pursue independent enforcement actions against the passenger, CNN reported. (RELATED: Woman Tries To Carry Loaded Gun On Board Plane)
Although the TSA did not disclose the nature of the agents’ injuries, the agency has warned that those who commit physical violence against its agents could face fines up to $14,000, the outlet stated.
The two officers who were sent to the hospital for treatment have since been released, CNN reported.