LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky man was arrested after police said he attempted to breach a TSA security checkpoint and attacked a TSA agent at Louisville Muhammed Ali International Airport. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kelvin Portwood, of Winchester, was arrested after an altercation at a security checkpoint at the Louisville airport

  • Surveillance footage shows him entering the exit lane, shouting and waving his arms

  • TSA agents attempting to persuade him to exit the area when he punched one of them in the face

  • He is being held at Louisville Metro Corrections on a $30,000 cash bond

Louisville Airport Police detained Kelvin Portwood, 55, of Winchester, on Sunday afternoon.

According to court documents, police were called by TSA to the security line for a reported assault. The dispatch call stated TSA agents were in an altercation with a disorderly male passenger in the exit lane, attempting to breach security.

When police officers arrived, the TSA agents were on the ground, attempting to detain Portwood outside of the exit lane. One officer advised Portwood to stop resisting and placed cuffs on him with the help of the TSA agents.

Police said surveillance footage showed Portwood approach the exit lane where he started shouting and waving his arms. Portwood yelled at the other passengers in line, attempting to get them to follow him through the exit lane. TSA temporarily suspended the screening process as one agent working the exit lane attempted to persuade Portwood to leave the area.

At that point, according to the report, Portwood pushed one of the TSA agents, lunged forward and punched him in the face. The agent suffered a cut lip, police said.

Portwood then kicked and scuffled with two other TSA agents as they attempted to de-escalate the situation. Eventually, they took him to the ground and held him until airport police arrived on the scene.

Portwood is charged with fourth-degree misdemeanor charge for assault, a fourth-degree misdemeanor charge for harassment with physical contact and a second-degree misdemeanor charge for disorderly conduct.

He is currently being held at Louisville Metro Corrections on a $30,000 cash bond and is scheduled for a pretrial conference Sept. 6. 

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