A loaded gun in an airport in Newark, N.J. was found in a Pa. man's carry-on luggage. On Feb. 17, NBC 10 Philly reported that 59-year-old Robert Kellerman was arrested just after 6 a.m. at Newark Liberty International Airport. He reportedly told police that he had "forgotten" that the gun was in his bag.
According to the report, TSA screeners saw the .22 caliber hand gun at a checkpoint inside Terminal C. He was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. It is unknown why the man had the loaded gun in his possession -- and whether not it was an "honest mistake" is still up for debate. Obviously TSA can't take any chances.
A loaded gun in an airport is serious business -- especially in the post-9/11 era that we live in. People who have gun licenses (to carry) are permitted to bring their weapons on airplanes but they must be properly stored in checked baggage -- most importantly, they must not be loaded.
It is unknown if Kellerman has a criminal past. It is also unclear why he was traveling with a gun to begin with. It seems strange that he would just "forget" that a loaded gun was in his carry-on -- didn't he pack the bag himself? Police are looking in to all angles of this case.
Although the loaded gun was found in the airport, no one was injured. It is unclear whether or not there was any delay with passengers going through security once Kellerman was pulled aside.
© Effie Orfanides 2013
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