Bullet discovered on commercial jet at major airport sparks security scare

A single bullet discovered in an overhead bin on a United Airlines Boeing 737 at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) caused a significant security delay.

The incident occurred Feb. 17 on a flight bound for Miami. The plane was declared a crime scene and was searched and cleared by authorities before departing after a nearly three-hour delay.

"On Tuesday, United Flight 1511 underwent a security sweep after a bullet was discovered in an overhead bin prior to the flight's departure," United Airlines told Fox News Digital in a statement.

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"Security personnel cleared the aircraft, which later departed for Miami," the company's statement concluded.

United Flight 1511 had been due to depart from Newark at 2:07 p.m. local time, according to data shared on FlightAware.

After almost three hours, the plane took off at 4:49 p.m. 

It landed in Miami at 7:33 p.m. 

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It is still unknown how the bullet entered the aircraft cabin after multiple screening procedures at Newark. 

TSA rules strictly prohibit firearms in carry-on baggage. 

Ammunition must be unloaded, locked in a hard-sided container and declared to the airline at the check-in counter as checked baggage, according to the agency. 

Firearm magazines and ammunition clips, loaded or empty, need to be securely boxed or included within a hard-sided case containing an unloaded firearm.

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"TSA does not confiscate detected firearms in carry-on bags. Screening officers notify law enforcement, who may take possession of the firearm and determine further action," according to the government website.

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This is not the first time a passenger has apparently tried to conceal ammunition at Newark airport.

A Mississippi man was arrested in Oct. 2024 after TSA officers intercepted disassembled gun parts concealed in a boot and a Lego box. 

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An "officer detected the fully disassembled 9mm firearm in a carry-on bag at a checkpoint in Terminal A as the man's duffle bag entered the checkpoint X-ray machine," according to a TSA statement at the time.

"The gun frame was jammed in the bottom of a boot below a sock … The gun's slide, spring and gun magazine loaded with 12 bullets were detected mixed among the plastic pieces of a Black Panther Lego set."

Port Authority Police confiscated the items and arrested the passenger, who was ticketed to fly to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.