Flight Attendant Tries to Bring Loaded Gun Through Airport Security

[MI .45]

A Republic Airlines flight attendant was detained and then charged with disorderly conduct after she attempted to pass through security at the Philadelphia International Airport with a loaded .38 revolver in her purse, triggering an incident in which police accidentally discharged the weapon while securing it, authorities said.

According to officials, at 6:33 a.m. today, the flight attendant entered a Terminal C security checkpoint lane with a loaded .38 caliber Smith and Wesson Airweight revolver in her purse.

A Transportation Security Administration employee discovered the gun on the x-ray machine and notified police.

The flight attendant was taken to secondary screening room, where an airport police officer attempted to unload the gun, and it discharged into a wall.

There were no injuries to passengers, employees or police, officials said.

The flight attendant, identified by ABC station WPVI-TV in Philadelphia as Jaclyn Luby, of West Chester, Pa., had a valid Chester County permit to carry a concealed weapon, police said.

The permit was confiscated and forwarded to the Chester County Sheriff, and the weapon — an Airweight revolver — was confiscated by the crime scene unit and transported to for testing.

She was charged with disorderly conduct, as per Airport Unit policy.

The officer who accidentally discharged the flight attendant’s gun is on desk duty pending completion of an internal investigation, police said

The Airweight is a small frame, aluminum alloy, short barrel personal defense revolver and is among the most popular of these.
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Here in Michigan a few years ago, a Concealed Carrier was pulled over and announced he was armed. The young officer decided that she wanted to secure the weapon but was baffled due to the carry piece being a revolver - she had never handled one and didn't know how to open the cylinder. She proceeeded to hand the weapon back to the carrier and requested that he open and unload it - she then secured the weapon until the stop was completed.

Are auto guns the only thing that is taught in LEO academies these days? And, cannot anyone with a brain, a modicum of firearms training, and a little common sense, deduce the function of a revolver? There certainly is a commonality of arms but it appears there isn't a commonality of inate intelligence among those charge to protect us. So much for the gun grabber arguement, "Only trained police and military should have guns".

 

[The_Outlaw]

A cop that cannot even safely unload any type of sidearm should not even be a cop in the first place imho.

 

[CharlesMorrison]

Just watch episodes of "Cops" and you will see officers struggling with auto pistols. There are so many that have different safety designs that the cops can't keep up with them all.
A revolver though? Can't help them there!

 

[rlusczek]

"The flight attendant was taken to secondary screening room, where an airport police officer attempted to unload the gun, and it discharged into a wall." On the news this morning they referenced "accidental discharge", in the Marine Corps we called it a negligent discharge. Of course she as a carry conceal permit holder should be ever more aware of the presence of her weapon. I carry now about 85-90% of the time and am aware of where I am going (banks or other business that noticeably post "no weapons" at their entrance). Common sense should prevail when you are entering an airport, and more so when you work there!
As for the police officer that actually discharged the weapon, shame on you for not being knowledgeable of how to handle a revolver. It appears that there is a loss of a lot of fundamentals when training LE today. Seek and learn that which you do not know to be more proficient!

 

[Warbirds]

Just watch episodes of "Cops" and you will see officers struggling with auto pistols. There are so many that have different safety designs that the cops can't keep up with them all.
A revolver though? Can't help them there!

Can you give an example of a semi with some of these mystical safety features? I will go down to the gun store and try and give you a report.

In reality a cop that can't safely clear any weapon needs to not ask to clear one till they have more training or a desk job.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[HoJo]

How much training does it take to know if you pull the trigger the gun will fire.

 

[Deserteagle]

Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until your sights are on target and you are prepared to shoot!

 

[CharlesMorrison]

Can you give an example of a semi with some of these mystical safety features? I will go down to the gun store and try and give you a report.

In reality a cop that can't safely clear any weapon needs to not ask to clear one till they have more training or a desk job.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

Nothing mystical. Most safeties either are flipped up or down to engage. Some are obvious others maybe not so. Some decock some don't.
Too many guns to remember exactly how they all operate. Add to that the level of stress during a stop and things are bound to be happening.

 

[w8asa]

Can you give an example of a semi with some of these mystical safety features? I will go down to the gun store and try and give you a report.

Phoenix Arms HP22BB. If you've never handled one, you'll have a tough time even ejecting a bullet that's in the chamber. Let's see: drop the mag, rack the slide... oops, that won't work.

 

[chapguy]

Try dropping the mag on a Walther PK380 if you had never handled one.

...now where the heck is the magazine release on this dang thing?...

 

[BillSC]

Just watch episodes of "Cops" and you will see officers struggling with auto pistols. There are so many that have different safety designs that the cops can't keep up with them all.
A revolver though? Can't help them there!

None of them go bang unless you pull the trigger.

 

[Rhino]

A cop that cannot even safely unload any type of sidearm should not even be a cop in the first place imho.

I know quite a few LEOs that would tell you in no uncertain terms that airport police aren't real cops. :lol:

 

[Rhino]

Nothing mystical. Most safeties either are flipped up or down to engage. Some are obvious others maybe not so. Some decock some don't.
Too many guns to remember exactly how they all operate. Add to that the level of stress during a stop and things are bound to be happening.

I've seen people decock a 'new to them' pistol and think it's safe because the lever on their own pistol is both a decocker and a safety. However, it's only a decocker on some pistols, and I've seen one accidental discharge as a result of that incorrect assumption.

 

[wolf_fire]

I remember the first time I handled a revolver, I had no idea how to get the cylinder out. I had to be shown the release button. Now, let's assume this cop had never had experience with a revolver (a very real possibility with the proclivity of semi-autos in use now).... that cop should know safe gun handling. In this case... "keep your booger hook off the bang stick". There is no such thing as an ACCIDENTAL discharge... you either touched the trigger or you did not.

Here's an idea... put a pair of cuffs on the lady and then have her explain to you how to open the cylinder. Hmmmmm, asking for assistance... or if you don't trust the person you just took into custody (another likely possibility), maybe... ooooh, I don't know... get on the horn with your superiors and ask if anyone has handled a revolver before and have them walk you through it.

 

[Fyrewerx]

Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until your sights are on target and you are prepared to shoot!

Or as a gunner on a another blog said, as I discharged my milk through my nose, "A cop who couldnt keep the booger hook off the bangswitch long enough to empty out the things that go bang."

 

[Caribou]

She is a flight attendant, or was, so she has gone through a background check. She has a CC permit so she has undergone another background check. She was separated from the firearm prior to the arrival of the cop. I don't see a high stress situation here.

This officer needs some serious retraining. For the safety of the public I suggest she be taught, and put to memory the following, "Would you like fries with that?" If a civilian had a negligent discharge in an airport they would be sitting behind bars rather than a desk. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe she needs to go to jail, I'm just pointing out the double standard.

 

[jesusfreak]

Keep you your digit off the the pull bang..

 

[CMNIII]

This absolutely baffles me. I teach my students that there is no such thing as a firearm accident - only evidence of stupidity. And ... don't fly Republic Airlines - they have an IQ requirement that is clearly much too low!

 

[Iron15]

If your ever in a situation where a Police officer, or any other alphabet organization tries to hand you back you pistol, make sure its being recorded, (police car dash cam) or at the very least ask for another officer to be present.
Just to be on the Safe side, there's just too much going on these days. See we don't have police officers any more, to protect, and serve. we have "law Enforcement' who are there to Enforce the Law.
There are a lot of Good men & woman serving the public, but I believe we are on a very Slippery slope, DHS, TSA, our local municipalities are taking too much Federal money. God Bless <-

 

[Firefighterchen]

This is exactly why I do not inform voluntarily and will only hand over my firearm under duress, because my firearm is safer (for me and everyone around me) in my holster, in my possession, under my control, than in the hands of someone unfamiliar with my firearm.