WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A passenger who went through an airport security checkpoint -- before remembering that he had a loaded gun -- is facing charges after going back to report his error, authorities said.
Gregory Scott Hinkle, 53, of Davis, West Virginia, went through a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport about 7:30 a.m. Sunday, an airport spokeswoman said.
The rest of the story is here.
Basically the TSA contacted the airport police and he has to go to court on charges. The question I posed to my Live Journal crowd (sorry those posts are friends only) was should the man be charged? It's a difficult decision.
On one hand he most certainly broke the law and unless he's been under a rock for the last 7 years then he knows that toothpaste is iffy on carryon. Firearms? That wasn't easy to do back in the day. Now when you cannot take tweezers and manicure scissors on board, it should be blatantly obvious that a gun is a definite no go.
Then again, exactly how did that gun make it past security? Jon and I had the screeners all up in arms in 2006 when I (without thinking) tossed a package of makeup remover towelettes in his carryon. As it went through XRay the next thing I know we had 3 screeners looking and "Ma'am, Sir - you need to step this way" in a 'shoot first ask questions later' tone of voice. After they discovered what it was they wouldn't let me have it back either the turkeys.
So yes the question is raised - just how did a gun make it past security at Reagan National? just a few miles from The White House?
We definitely got off lucky ---- this time anyway.
**the picture above was taken in 2006 during the cherry blossom festival in Washington DC.
2 comments:
It’s interesting that the TSA fired the screener at Reagan National Airport who let the passenger with the gun through security, yet they let police officers beat up passengers and keep their jobs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPNmxZwhMag
I'm sorry but they *needed* to fire the screener who let the passenger with the gun through -- pure and simple. Had that person been a terrorist or a disturbed person, many people could've been killed quite easily ... unless you've forgotten 9/11 ....
What the TSA does with their police officers who beat up passengers is a different ball of wax. Is it right? no. Should they have let the screener who let the gun through keep his job just because other people break the law?
NO !
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