Fake bombs used for security training cause real airport shutdown in Illinois

Two dog toys masquerading as dynamite shut down an airport on Thursday.

At about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, officials partially evacuated Peoria International Airport in Illinois for hours after identifying a suspicious package labeled "dynamite" in a passenger's carry-on.

Also inside the luggage were an aerosol can, a mason jar of liquid, a timing device, and wires and sticks, according to police.

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The passenger, Michelle Davidson, travels around the country training abortion clinics how to respond to suspicious packages and explosives at work. The two sticks of dynamite were actually fetch toys for dogs.

She was in Peoria to give a demonstration to a local abortion clinic the night prior. 

Her employer, the National Abortion Federation, confirmed her occupation to police and told local news that they have never had a problem traveling with the fake explosives before, but that they will now review their protocol. 

The shutdown caused traffic to back up, with frustrated drivers posting photos of the line to the airport.

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"Everybody's response was exactly what it should've been," Gene Olson, director of Peoria airport, told local FOX affiliate. "This was, you know, from what you see on the X-ray, from what they saw inside the bag, everyone thought that this was an actual bomb, and so the response was perfect"

The airport is not pressing charges against the woman.

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