A man with a stuffed animal was confronted Tuesday night at Delta's north headquarters by an airline employee, prompting Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport police to initiate a hunt for the person, an airport official said Wednesday.

The incident occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday at the administrative building, which is attached to a hangar off 34th Avenue, said airport spokesman Pat Hogan. It is not known whether the individual had access rights to the building, Hogan said.

According to Hogan:

A man entered the building and was confronted by a Delta employee who asked to see his identification badge. The man responded by holding out a stuffed animal and saying, "This is all you need to see." The man then fled.

Airport police notified the Transportation Security Administration and worked with Delta security officials to look for the individual in the immediate area. Police then stepped up patrols around the building and the airfield but saw no sign of the man.

The man was described as black, 19 to 22 years old, 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with an average build. He was wearing a tan oversized jacket and a red shirt.

The stuffed animal had a leopard print design.

Even though there is no indication that the man entered the adjoining hangar, airport dogs were brought in to check for explosives on airplanes before they left the hangar. No explosives were found.

Anyone with any information about the incident should call airport police at 612-726-5115.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482