By K. Lavery, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Lambert airport officials evacuated the East Terminal and D Concourse around noon Friday when a security screener noticed a suspicious item in a passenger's luggage. The item turned out to be a small knife. Security personnel were unable to stop the passenger before he left the screening area. Despite that, federal security director Bill Switzer says everything was done properly.
Switzer says all departing flights were immediately stopped, and that there was no chance that the passenger was able to board a departing plane. A search of the area took about 90 minutes. Passengers were allowed back in after being re-screened.