ROMULUS, Mich. — The mother of an Arkansas man who caused a two-hour lockdown at Detroit Metropolitan Airport said he mistakenly re-entered a secure area after missing a flight last week to a basketball tryout.
Jennifer Smith of Pine Bluff told The Associated Press on Saturday that 22-year-old Christian Smith’s actions “were a complete misunderstanding.”
Christian Smith was arrested Thursday night after exiting and going back into a secured side of a screening checkpoint at the airport in Romulus, outside Detroit, airport spokesman Mike Conway said. The lockdown delayed flights at the McNamara Terminal, but the delayed flights were later able to take off Thursday night.
Conway said Christian Smith posted bond Friday morning and was released. The 34th District Court in Romulus will contact Christian Smith regarding a hearing date, the airport spokesman said.
Jennifer Smith says her 6-foot-7-inch son now is in Los Angeles, where he hopes to latch on with a professional basketball team overseas.
Christian Smith played college basketball at Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla.