An unattended rental truck loaded with pyrotechnics for the cable TV show "Sons of Guns" caused some tense moments at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Sunday afternoon.
An executive of the production company said he regretted the incident and blamed it on "a simple yet colossal error in judgement by a member of our staff."
Part of Terminal B was closed for two hours as airport security and the FBI located and questioned the driver of the Penske rental truck left unattended outside Terminal B-38, according to airport spokesman David Magaña.
"There were things found inside the truck that prompted further investigation," said Magaña. "These gentlemen are stunt performers, they had pyrotechnics in the truck. The types of things you'd associate with a stunt show."
FBI official Kevin Gentry says after questioning it became clear the truck was driven by a member of the crew of the Discovery Channel show "Sons of Guns." He says investigators had been suspicious because the man in the Penske truck had said "I got a couple of guns."
Authorities also found an automatic weapon and pistol, both of which were legally registered and there were no firearm violations according to the airport.
Gentry says it rapidly became clear the man was simply waiting for another member of the show's crew. The two are headed to El Paso, Texas, and then on to Albuquerque, New Mexico to film the show.
Gentry says the scare is "nothing." He says it "all checked out."
Apparently the driver of the truck was oblivious to the heightened security in light of the anniversary of 9/11. The incident happened near the location where volunteers greet the daily arrival of U.S. troops from the Middle East as they come home for rest and recuperation, according to Magaña.
"You can only describe it as being unaware," said Magaña. "Apparently there are people unaware of what our nation is going through."
The driver of the truck will not face charges and did not receive a ticket.
Magaña said the investigation resulted in a two-hour closure of the roads leading to the northernmost section of Terminal B where the DFW Department of Public Safety bomb squad, canine units, and mobile command post set up.
The Discovery Channel released a statement from Stephen Land, the chief executive officer of Jupiter Entertainment, which produces Sons of Guns.
"I regret any inconvenience caused by this incident and I'm gratified that nothing was found to be untoward or illegal," Land said. "We've cooperated with authorities. This is a case of a simple yet colossal error in judgement by a member of our staff."
No flights were canceled and operations inside the airport were not affected.
The airport reported at 4:30 p.m. that Terminal B was back open and operations had returned to normal.
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An earlier version of this report stated that it was a Ryder rental truck. This information from The Associated Press was incorrect. It was a Penske rental truck.
