Glendale woman sentenced in Phoenix Sky Harbor assault on TSA agent who said 'she bit my hair'

Ma'Kiah Cherae Coleman, a 20-year-old woman from Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The assault took place on April 25, 2023, when Coleman became irate during the security screening process and physically attacked the agent, grabbing her hair and punching her multiple times. The violent confrontation was so severe that it necessitated the temporary closure of the security checkpoint while law enforcement intervened. Video evidence showed Coleman becoming upset over her bin being slid to the table, leading to the altercation. Witness accounts noted that Coleman even elbowed another TSA employee during the chaos.

In a later interview, the assaulted agent humorously recounted the incident, stating, "She bit my hair! " As part of her punishment, Coleman is banned from flying commercially during her 36 months of supervised release. This incident highlights ongoing tensions at airport security and the challenges TSA agents face daily in ensuring passenger safety.