Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Police major stopped at airport checkpoint with loaded gun
ATLANTA – A high police official was stopped at an Atlanta airport checkpoint as a result of he had a loaded firearm in his carry-on baggage.
Atlanta Police affirm Main Michael O’Connor was touring out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport Monday as a civilian.
He positioned his carry-on ebook bag on the conveyor belt. Police say within the pocket of the ebook bag was a black Glock handgun.
It was full of 18 rounds, together with one within the chamber, police say.
Officers had been referred to as to the checkpoint, as is customary. The most important was escorted to the airport precinct for a debriefing, by which the FBI participated.
Main Michael O’Connor (FOX 5)
The whole matter was dealt with as if O’Connor was another passenger, in line with sources conversant in the incident.
He was instructed to safe his gun in some method after which go on together with his journey.
The Transportation Safety Administration will overview the report made on the cease and will levy a positive, seemingly within the vary of $3,000.
The south checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport. (FOX 5)
There’s an extra side that stands out within the O’Connor cease. In an earlier position with APD, the airport was a part of the key’s duties. He would have been contained in the discussions about the issue of airport weapons, protecting the ability protected and all the remaining.
An APD spokesperson mentioned the division will take an administrative take a look at what befell. That will likely be separate from the federal motion.
Atlanta airport tops record of most firearms present in carry-on baggage
The TSA reported in January {that a} whole of 448 firearms had been discovered by safety at Atlanta’s airport in 2022. It was 11% lower than 2021, however nonetheless topped the nation within the variety of weapons discovered.
In all, the TSA says it screened 761.4 million passengers nationwide – a rise of over 25% in comparison with 2021. In Georgia, 27.74 million passengers had been screened departing from Georgia airports.
Nationwide, one firearm was detected for each 116,394. In Georgia, the speed is larger than double that quantity, with one firearm found for each 40,570 passengers screened.
How will you fly with a firearm?
Regardless of Georgia being an open-carry state, weapons can’t be carried previous a safety checkpoint onto a airplane or be in any carry-on baggage. The one approach a weapon can journey on a flight is in checked baggage.
In line with the TSA, firearms, together with components, magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, all should fly in examine baggage and need to be declared. This additionally consists of replicas or toy weapons.
The firearms have to be unloaded, together with an empty chamber, and locked in a hard-sided container.
Rifle scopes, nevertheless, are allowed in each carry-on and checked baggage.
Along with potential prison fees for the firearm, vacationers can face a civil penalty of as much as $15,000 per violation and may have their TSA PreCheck screening advantages or Trusted Traveler standing quickly revoked.
For extra data go to TSA.gov.