When I read the headline of this CNN article, “Gun in carry-on accidentally fired“, I first thought, oh no! A gun in a carry-on was fired on a plane?? Then I thought, No way. First, how would they get it on the plane? Second, how could it be loaded? So then I read the actual article. Go read it, now. Then come back for my commentary.
Here was my thought process: Oh good, it wasn’t fired on a plane. It was fired at the security check point. Then, Seriously? The old guy forgot he had a freaking gun in his bag? Then, Seriously???? It was the cop who accidentally fired it????? Aren’t cops supposed to know how to handle firearms?
Luckily, the only casualty was the screening table. But the officer wrote in his report that
“I was grazed by a pellet fragment on the left side of my face….However, there were no visible injuries.”
Evidently the gun was loaded with “snake shot”. <<shudder>>
The article says that over 1100 firearms have been discovered at security checkpoints this year alone. That seems like a lot to me. Luckily I haven’t seen any; I think I would freak out. The craziest thing I’ve ever seen at security is a bottle of barbeque sauce, and the passenger would just not believe it was considered a liquid.
Readers, have you ever seen a gun at a security checkpoint? Just kidding. (Kind of.…) What’s the craziest thing you’ve seen at airport security?
Hilarious! Glad no one was hurt.
Never trust a police officer to handle an unknown weapon. They know THEIRS well, but fewer than you think are actually proficient with any beyond what their range requirements are. That’s not a slam against the police, just a note that not all of them are the wild-eyed gun enthusiasts you’d think they are based on stereotype.
I’m glad nobody was hurt. Snakeshot is very, very small pellets designed to be used at close range – against a snake. Given the number of pellets, the metal tables, and the number of people in close range, they’re lucky this didn’t scatter everywhere and cause more damage. I’d imagine several people needed to change pants later, though… and the officer involved has a lot of paperwork to do and is likely facing a reprimand, at least.
Some TSA friends told me about this one.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/12/officials-seize-animal-body-parts-blood-passenger-suitcase-dulles-airport/
I saw a guy right after 9/11 with a suitcase full of Paul Newman dressing. Strangest thing I saw that whole trip and I was in Vegas.
1,100? 3 a day? Seems that in itself would be a good news story for TSA to trumpet.
Something doesn’t make sense here.
The officer who wrote the “grazed but no visible damage” report is creating documentation for sick days or for enhanced charges. Again, not the full story or some severe exaggeration.
I was once in back of a young woman who couldn’t believe she wasn’t allowed to bring her swiss army knife through security!
The craziest thing I’ve seen at airport security is the TSA employees. They are nuts about petty, bureaucratic power trips. Not to mention seeing what we look like naked.
If the TSA finds only 1,100 firearms at checkpoints a year, then I’d say very few people are getting to airport security with guns in their luggage or on their person. Think about how many people a day go through even one major airport like JFK, ORD, or LAX.
I recall in 2007 a Marine literally fresh off the plane from Iraq tried to carry a hand grenade in his backpack thru the TSA checkpoint.