Woman forgets handgun in purse, boards plane en route to Newark airport

NJ.Com ^ | September 29, 2012 | (Associated Press)

[BobL]

ORLANDO, Fla. — Authorities say a Florida firefighter who brought a handgun onto a flight out of Orlando will not be prosecuted.

The unidentified woman told authorities she forgot she had a 380-caliber semi-automatic in her purse when she boarded a flight Thursday. The woman went through screening checkpoints at Orlando International Airport, but the gun was not detected.

The woman told authorities about the incident when she landed at Newark Liberty Airport.

[steve86]

“X-ray” is used in my comment as shorthand for the various scanning technologies in use. Gamma scanning, laser-based molecular scanning (more for explosives but can identify gunpowder), millimeter wave and others. All of these can and have been installed in carrier properties on a temporary or permanent basis in response to perceived threats. The shippers have no choice but to be extremely accommodating to DHS when the request comes in.

[4Runner]

There are hundreds of thousands of individuals who continue to be misinformed as to the reality of gun purchase in America, thanks to the mainstream media. When you “purchase” a firearm on the internet it is shipped from the seller direct to a federally licensed firearm retailer in your area. It is NOT shipped direct to you. When you arrive to claim the weapon you are then subjected to the three-day waiting period and the mandatory forms to be filled out and the mandatory background check. Firearms are NOT shipped direct to internet purchasers unless the purchaser itself is licensed by the federal government to receive such purchases. Many people ignorant of this actual purchase process continue to blame “easy internet access” as the cause of the recent movie theater massacre.

[KantianBurke]

[Fresh Wind]

2) Try to dispose of the gun, and maybe try to wipe off the serial number prior.

Uh, I don't think you can "wipe off" a serial number.

[Polynikes]

You would have to use a drill to obliterate a s/n but LE is quite capable of raising it back up to read.

[Fireone]

I have a slightly different opinion of this predicament...
Grow an f’ing brain! If you’re carrying a gun and you don’t know it, you’re entirely focused on the wrong things in your life.
I’ve carried almost every day, since I was around 20 years old, either on my person, or in a car, lunchbox, etc. Never, not once, did I not know I was in posession of a firearm. That’s careless, irresponsible, and could get you killed.

[Red in Blue PA]

Being a public worker helped her but more than that being a woman helped her.

The outcome would have been different if it were a male business owner.

[SaraJohnson]

The perverts are going to have to grab more boobs and crotches to make sure this never happens again. Then we will be safe.

[Teacher317]

I had shotgun shells tucked in a pocket of my carry-on that I didn’t know about. I went round-trip to El Paso and back before finding them when I was back home, unpacking. LOL

[ConservativeMan55]

bttt

[BobL]

What, you didn’t report it to TSA. LOL!!

[BobL]

“Uh, I don’t think you can “wipe off” a serial number.”

That’s street talk for grinding it off. The risk is that you have to hope there is no other way of tracing it to you, as you’re talking serious trouble if they do.

[BobL]

“Grow an f’ing brain! If you’re carrying a gun and you don’t know it, you’re entirely focused on the wrong things in your life.”

A long time ago, I was driving one my kids. He was in a car seat and sleeping in the back. I was listening to something - maybe Rush - and was caught up in it. I looked back to change lanes and a chill went through me because I simply forgot he was there.

When I hear about kids getting fried in Houston, I always wonder if that would have been the case if they were in the front seat. I certainly would not have forgotten about him had he been in the front seat.

It’s easy for one to say they’re perfect and never forget any detail in their life - it’s harder to live that life. Since that day with the kid, I never put in the back seat again (and I disabled the air bags, of course). He lived and grew up, and I never got a ticket - not that I would have cared.

Likewise I could see her having a piece that she may not carry often buried in the bottom of my purse because she went to the play downtown last weekend and figured she needed some defense capability - then forgot about it. Easy to remember if you carry every day - but maybe she doesn’t. Every situation is different.

[Arrowhead1952]

My daughter went through security in Houston for a trip to LA and TSA missed the tazer in her purse.

[wrencher]

Goodness, it sure is difficult to move this legal item from place to place. It’s almost like some sort of drug contraband. I guess that’s what happens when you are ruled by the one political party of Ivy League Incumbency and their billions of laws.

Vote “Republican” and see how that changes. /sarc

[BobL]

Yea, for people that carry, they have to think very hard. Will they be going to a place where it’s not allowed, or where they will be inspected...is there a way they may forget that they have it with them - maybe in their car, for example, maybe in their purse, a backpack.

Get caught making one mistake and you’re looking at a felony charge and huge legal bills.

One has to look at themselves, their lifestyle, and their ability to remember details. That’s why I put my kids in the front seat, forever, once that ‘event’ happened (see above).

[BobL]

With some help from others, here’s what I think is the best option for someone in her situation, and doesn’t have immunity being a public servant:

Assuming you figure it out before leaving the airport, rent a car and bury the gun under the spare, or somewhere in the trunk. Then drive (carefully) to a gun-friendly state, and find a licensed firearms dealer there. Have them ship it back home, to a dealer close by. Then simply pick it up when you get home. Getting to a friendly state to get rid of the piece almost assures that you won’t get asked ‘unpleasant’ questions by a scared-to-death dealer (in an unfriendly state), and it also means that you will be driving almost exclusively on highways and will not have to carry the piece, even from the car to a dealer, in an unfriendly area.

What is scary about unfriendly areas is that it is very difficult to know all their laws - they’re designed to trip people up.

[jayrunner]

I’m about the write racially sensitive stuff, if you’re offended, don’t read on!

Twelve years ago, I had a knee replacement. A while later, I bought a ticket and went through San Jose, CA metal checkpoint. I thought I had nothing to worry about because the knee replaement manufacturer gave me a card to show to the scanners.
HOWEVER, the card was written in English and the scanners didn’t read or speak much English. I set off the alarms, tried to show my card to someone, including a supervisor who also didn’t speak English.

Fortunately those in line were patient. And one called over a San Jose Police Officer who read my card and waved me on through.

Moral of the Story: Well, there’s isn’t one. Everything is FUBAR!

[Jim from C-Town]

Yes, I understand that and have done that. What I am saying is that they actually ship the gun. You could do the same thing. Ship it to the local gun store. or take the risk and next day it home by fed ex.