The flight attendant, like other crew members, is not normally subjected to searches. But just after 7 p.m. Friday, the unidentified JetBlue flight attendant was pulled aside by TSA officers for a random screening in Terminal 4, law enforcement sources familiar with the incident said.

The woman, who was not identified, appeared nervous and made a cellphone call in a language not recognized by officers, authorities told NBC News. She was then taken aside to a secondary screening area and was asked for her employee identification.

Suddenly, the woman bolted from the screening location, running with her bags toward an escalator. After a short distance she jettisoned the luggage and her Gucci shoes, exiting the terminal. It was not immediately clear which flight she was set to board.