Man Allegedly Threatens TSA Agent, Punches TVs & Masturbates At MSP Airport

A man was taken into custody after allegedly threatening and attempting to assault Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport employees.

According to KARE 11, a criminal complaint states that the incident began when 44-year-old Frank Towers yelled that he was going to "kill" a TSA agent. As he was yelling, Towers also threw a stanchion line post at TSA agents on Friday (November 12).

Prosecutors say officers approached Towers and told him to stop. Towers responded that he didn't need to stop because "It's a free country."

Towers did not listen and continued to ignore commands by officers, which forced authorities to tase him. Towers continued to try and attack officers, but authorities were able to restrain him once backup arrived.

The complaint added that investigators reviewed the airport's security footage and found that before Towers threatened TSA agents, he was caught on camera punching and headbutting TVs, then undressing himself and masturbating. An hour later, the footage captures him again taking his clothes off, redressing himself, throwing a chair, and then that is when the encounter began with the TSA agents.

Towers was taken into custody and booked into the Hennepin County Jail, where he is being charged with one count of fourth-degree assault and one count of threats of violence.