Man Says Knife Was No Weapon
A man whose claim that he had a knife shut down part of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport over the weekend blurted out in court Monday that it was not a weapon but a “pen with a cigar cutter.”
Charles Cowsert, 40, of Council Grove, Kan., made the statement before the judge cut him off.
Police say Cowsert passed the main airport security checkpoint, then was chosen for a random search at the Comair gate. He allegedly told security screeners he had a small knife, but none was found.
His statement caused the evacuation of all three concourses in the main terminal, which handles 92% of airport traffic. Thousands of passengers were re-screened.
Cowsert was arrested because a small amount of marijuana was found, police said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
