Security Scare Causes Panic in Honolulu Airport

Security Scare Causes Panic in Honolulu Airport

Two laptops overheated while being screened Tuesday at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The overheating caused popping sounds and smoke, bringing about false reports of an active shooter.

  • By Kaitlyn DeHaven
  • Jun 21, 2019

After false reports of an active shooter Tuesday caused the main terminal of the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport to shut down, many flights were delayed and hundreds of passengers waited for hours to go through security.

Around 2 p.m., two laptops overheated while being screened. The overheating caused a popping sounds and some puffs of smoke, and both TSOs and passengers going through security were alarmed. The incident caused some chaos, and TSA said some travelers “breached the security checkpoint by running into the sterile area of the airport without being screened.”

Witness Rob Giunta told local news station Hawaii News Now that the laptops were smoking in the luggage.

“There was some smoke coming out of one of the scanners, and the TSA agent started yelling ‘fire’ and telling people to run and get out,” Giunta said. “Six more came from the other side, and said, ‘Run, get out, there’s a fire.’ And everyone started stampeding each other, women being knocked down, kids.”

Other travelers reported that panic spread through the terminal quickly, and some people suffered minor injuries because of the chaos. The terminal was cleared completely, including passengers who had already passed through screening and were boarding flights. In addition, a traveler told the Associated Press that airport vendors and shops had to shut down and send their employees to be re-screened alongside the passengers.

United Airlines said it delayed four flights to provide passengers with enough time to go through security screening and board their planes.

About the Author

Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.