I'm actually kind of impressed that the checkpoint was only shut down for 15 minutes. JFK pax got very lucky, IMHO.

I'm surprised they didn't do a terminal dump and tape review to find the pax who left the item behind (or perhaps a review of the tapes will show that it was 'surrendered' but that instead of being immediately binned, as appropriate, it was set aside for further private personal inspection by the admiring TSO who confiscated it).

I guess we should also be grateful that talk of arming at least some checkpoint TSOs has never gone further than just talk.