Smuggled gun found on plane.

[Yoda]

These guys were obviously up to no good. Although the article does not say much, it seems likely that the gun and ammo were smuggled on board separately.

It's comforting that a private citizen saw something that "just didn't look right" and took action. I'd like to think that those of us in the CCW and gun-owning community would be just as observant and just as likely to take action.

BZ to the citizen.

- - - Yoda

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/04/national/main5062390.shtml

 

[edSky]

It made me stop and think how many times it's happened and no one spotted it. What can a TSA official get away with?

I also wonder if it has anything to do with the recent shooting here, in Arkansas, of an Army Recruiter by a convert to Islam.

 

[jad0110]

Although the article does not say much, it seems likely that the gun and ammo were smuggled on board separately.

Nah, can't be that. Don't you know that it is illegal to bring a gun on a plane in that manner?

 

[CWL]

TSA routinely puts guns and explosives in bags to test screeners, I believe that over 1/2 of them are missed during the screening process.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Souces say a passenger allegedly handed a bag containing the weapon to an airline employee, who bypassed the security screening before giving it back to the passenger, reports Orr.

Another passenger saw the suspicious hand-off and alerted authorities.

No charges have been filed.

...although the air marshall says he'll announce his status louder next time to avoid frightening onlookers

 

[geronimo509]

http://cbs3.com/local/handgun.flight.plane.2.1031133.html

Here is the article from my yahoo homepage.

I actually know someone named damien young who lives in my area. I had to call my brother and ask how old the guy I know is. It wasnt the same one lol

 

[Chief-7700]

TSA= Terminal Stupid and you get to fill in the blanks for the A.

 

[Kindrox]

The MSNBC story says the gun was unloaded and the idot was moving to Phonix from PA.

Instead of moving the gun the right way (checking it) the morons break the law.

 

[rmt22]

was reading this myself and these idiots one will lose his job and both are looking at federal felony convictions

stupid

 

[LightningJoe]

This makes no sense unless the passenger didn't legally own the gun. Obviously, he could have put it in his luggage like anybody else. But if he knew his possession of the gun was illegal for some reason (not that the airline would have known), he might have thought it made sense to sneak it. Although that's still idiotic, it's not supernaturally idiotic.

 

[Ignition Override]

Any airport/airline employee can drive in and fill out paperwork, then watch a two-hour security video on a day off. This gives you an 'airside' airport ID card, and in the case of flightcrews, they/we can then leave the 'footprint' of the plane and walk around anywhere on the terminal 'ramp'. It seems ludicrous to be able to taxi/fly a 121,000 lb plane and still need to do this on the day off...so 'no way'.
Some of us would rather go through security than submit to this stupid requirement, just to bypass the process at one airport.

The card allows you to bypass security (only at the crewbase, plus a few smaller airports in MI and SD, ND) and only the penalties involved keep people from bringing whatever they want through a special door at ground level.

 

[lvcat2004]

I've checked firearms many times during my air travel, and knowing how easy it is, it makes me think that this passenger was EXTRMELY stupid or up to no good, but most likely both.

 

[Yoda]

According to the followup article...

"He was moving to Arizona and just wanted to take the gun with him..." Apparently he didn't know (or care) that there are LEGAL ways to do that.

I guess he also wanted to take the ammo and box cutter with him, too.

- - - Yoda