Man Arrested At Sea-Tac For Threatening Worker With Knife

December 9, 2001

By KOMO Staff & News Services
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KING COUNTY - Police arrested a man at Sea-Tac Airport Sunday night after they say he put a steak knife(sodering iron) to the throat of a woman working at a security checkpoint.

The woman was not injured, and airport officials say it does not appear that terrorism was a factor. Airport spokesman Bob Parkers says officers are trying to determine if the man is mentally stable.

It all happened around 9:30 p.m. Sunday at the security checkpoint near the airport's B-concourse. Port of Seattle Police Sergeant Dan Flynn says the man simply walked up to the woman(after she alledged he was trying to take "fire" on board the plane" and placed the knife to her throat.

Fifteen officers and two National Guardsmen swarmed around him within seconds, quickly persuading him to drop the four-inch knife(sidecutters).

Flynn says he was not making any specific demands and was not trying to make his way onto a plane. It also appears he did not know the airport worker.

Authorities were questioning him late Sunday night in a holding cell at Sea-Tac.

The security checkpoint was shut down briefly, then reopened after officers made sure everything was OK.