Pax with gun at Washington National

ScottM

ScottM

Taxi to Parking
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iBazinga!
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That is so stupid. Sure, it violated the letter but is that what the spirit of the law intended? Only if enforced by an agency of idiots!

Were it not for the gun probably traceable, he would have been better off tossing it in a garbage can.
 
This is idiotic. The guy makes it through security and, upon realizing he has a loaded gun, actually goes back to admit his mistake, and gets thrown in jail? That's the message we want to send to society! "If you make an honest mistake, admit it, and nobody got hurt, we're going to punnish you just the same as if you were a potential terrorist."

Given this, I would say he should've just gone through the remainder of the flight and kept the gun concealed. Obviously, it was concealed well enough to fool security, he probably could've made it to his destination without an issue. Alternately, I would've just left security to put it someplace else, and then gone through again.
 
I remember the days when you could carry a gun there......hell I use to.:yes:
 
Why not throw the TSA agents who let him through with a loaded gun, in jail?

It would be ironic if they had grabbed his liquids and tweezers though, haha.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
This is idiotic. The guy makes it through security and, upon realizing he has a loaded gun, actually goes back to admit his mistake, and gets thrown in jail? That's the message we want to send to society! "If you make an honest mistake, admit it, and nobody got hurt, we're going to punnish you just the same as if you were a potential terrorist."

Given this, I would say he should've just gone through the remainder of the flight and kept the gun concealed. Obviously, it was concealed well enough to fool security, he probably could've made it to his destination without an issue. Alternately, I would've just left security to put it someplace else, and then gone through again.
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Exactly.

There is a disincentive to be honest. Look at the lesson this sends to others.

And we wonder why dishonesty is so prevelant in our society?

Oh, wait, I know, I know! It's zero-tolerance!!! :rolleyes:
 
I wonder how the airline PIC would react if the man surrendered the weapon to him? I'm sure the flight crew encounters just as much stupidity from the TSA.

Greg?
 
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.
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Ronald Reagan Airport -> Hinkle -> Hinckley????

He's obviously a threat. Good job on the TSA's part!


..:no:
 
I'm not sure this is as bad as y'all are making it out.

He's not charged as a terrorist. Virginia law prohibits carrying a gun into the airport property. It's a misdemeanor, and won't even keep him from renewing his gun permit. He should have known where his weapon was, and where he was, this knowledge is required to obtain the permit to carry in the first place (I know because I'm a Virginia permitee as well). "Forgetting" and "Mistakes" are things we should have low tolerance for (not zero tolerance, mind you) when it comes to weapons.

Now, if they'd charged him with a federal crime (for taking the gun into the sterile area), that would have been overkill, given that he came back and tried to correct his mistake. In fact, I'm pretty impressed that the TSA used their discretion and turned it over to the locals, who also handled it within their limits of discretion. Cops aren't allowed to say "go on, have a nice day" with this sort of violation.

I would expect the Virginia court system will either dismiss the case, or plead it to a lesser offense, given that there didn't seem to be any intent to commit a crime.
 
TMetzinger said:
I'm not sure this is as bad as y'all are making it out.

He's not charged as a terrorist. Virginia law prohibits carrying a gun into the airport property. It's a misdemeanor, and won't even keep him from renewing his gun permit. He should have known where his weapon was, and where he was, this knowledge is required to obtain the permit to carry in the first place (I know because I'm a Virginia permitee as well). "Forgetting" and "Mistakes" are things we should have low tolerance for (not zero tolerance, mind you) when it comes to weapons.

Now, if they'd charged him with a federal crime (for taking the gun into the sterile area), that would have been overkill, given that he came back and tried to correct his mistake. In fact, I'm pretty impressed that the TSA used their discretion and turned it over to the locals, who also handled it within their limits of discretion. Cops aren't allowed to say "go on, have a nice day" with this sort of violation.

I would expect the Virginia court system will either dismiss the case, or plead it to a lesser offense, given that there didn't seem to be any intent to commit a crime.
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As someone who was married to a gun for over five years (law enforcement) I can say it is easier than people think to forget about the damn thing.
 
woodstock said:
But how did he get it through security? They can't see a gun with those machines?
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That's a completely valid question, but has no bearing on the outcome to this guy.

The investigation about how he got through is on the TSA, and I'm sure the media scrutiny will keep the pressure on.

It's unfortunate that they guy's desire to alert the TSA to their problem had this consequence, but it was not within the cops' discretion to do anything different.

Now, when it gets to the commonwealth attorney and judge (it's a state case, not a federal one), I expect that the outcome will ultimately take into account that there was no malice in the original crime, and in fact the crime would have been undetected if it weren't for the admirable desire of this gentleman to be a good citizen and alert the authorities to a potential problem.
 
I'm puzzled why he didn't just turn around and exit the terminal ..
put it in his car .. and go back thru security.
 
RogerT said:
I'm puzzled why he didn't just turn around and exit the terminal ..
put it in his car .. and go back thru security.
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Because he wanted to let TSA know that their screening process allowed a person with a gun to get through undetected?
 
tdager said:
As someone who was married to a gun for over five years (law enforcement) I can say it is easier than people think to forget about the damn thing.
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Like when I went the security line and answered "No" when they asked if I had any liquids, and they found - and confiscated - the bottle of Diet Coke in my backpack I forgot about, and then after passing through successfully I realized - they didn't - I had the cup of coffee in my hand. The coffee was nearly empty so I tossed it. :dunno:
 
I find the following statement taken from the article rather interesting:

"We know this is not a systemic problem in that our testing indicates TSOs [Transportation Security Officers] have a very high success rate at finding firearms. Given the high degree of reliability that our TSOs can find even carefully concealed firearms, we are evaluating every aspect of this incident,"

They also say that their TSO's find, on average, two guns per day. But how do they fell justified in calling that a high degree of reliability if they do not know how many weapons they do not find. Obviously we'll never know how many are not found and neither do they. So the "high reliability" is just a subjective opinion and nothing more.

Oooh I feel safer already!
 
This is absolutely absurd.

First, I don't have a problem with an arrest in this situation - there is a guy with a gun in what we all recognize as a "vulnerable area." Can you imagine the hole that would be opened up if a true threat realized that if you came back and told TSA that you had a gun, and they just said "well, go ahead and put it in your car?" I definitely see a potential there, so I don't have a problem with something resembling an arrest and brief detention.

In fact, let's not even call it an arrest - call it protective custody for everyone's safety. Including the safety of the passenger from TSA's itchy trigger fingers. Frankly, I don't trust those peoples' judgment, especially with deadly weapons in their hands.

But charges? That is absolutely absurd! I mean, is this serious? A guy discovers he a has a gun that made it through security, goes back to security, and is effing charged? Absolutely absurd, and unless there's something we don't know about (this is the press, after all), it sounds like a serious waste of taxpayer resources.
 
I wonder how much of security is real and how much of it is just to make people feel safe, rather a "false sense of security." I've gotten through security with a GPS an aircraft scanner, and an arrange of other pilot supplies. They'd take my contact solution over an aircraft radio.
 
Obi Heed Kenobi said:
...

In fact, let's not even call it an arrest - call it protective custody for everyone's safety. Including the safety of the passenger from TSA's itchy trigger fingers. Frankly, I don't trust those peoples' judgment, especially with deadly weapons in their hands....
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Be careful what you say. Be thankful the functional illiterates they hire to be TSA gate agents aren't armed. They have local cops nearby who are.
 
mikea said:
Be careful what you say. Be thankful the functional illiterates they hire to be TSA gate agents aren't armed. They have local cops nearby who are.
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I don't think I'd go near a commercial service airport if the TSA was armed. They tried to deny boarding to a high school girl last week who was carrying her bowling ball as a carry on. Even the local LEO (who thankfully is required to be present any time passenger screening is taking place) was rolling his eyes when they took the bowling ball away from her. The girl, by the way, was on the way to a bowling tournament in Fla...apparently it's an annual event for disabled high schoolers. Their explanation was that someone could use the bowling ball to knock us out and take over the airplane. We didn't bother to point out the fact that someone could probably do the same with their fist, for fear that they'd start cuffing everyone as they get on the plane. The TSA has far too much power (and far too little skill/training) as it is, the last thing we need is for them to be some sort of federalized police force.
 
Teller1900 said:
Their explanation was that someone could use the bowling ball to knock us out and take over the airplane. We didn't bother to point out the fact that someone could probably do the same with their fist, for fear that they'd start cuffing everyone as they get on the plane.
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Heaven help us if they figure out that if you can carry it on you can swing a purse or a case as a weapon.:D:(
 
RMCN172RG said:
Heaven help us if they figure out that if you can carry it on you can swing a purse or a case as a weapon.:D:(
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Yeah I know - like a laptop couldn't be used for the same purpose.
 
mikea said:
Be careful what you say. Be thankful the functional illiterates they hire to be TSA gate agents aren't armed. They have local cops nearby who are.
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The DPE who is doing my CFI ride is also an inactive deputy. Because of his position, he has unfettered access to the airport grounds. On one occasion, he had a TSA agent approach him and start questioning. When it was revealed Ben had an FAA ID for the airport, the TSA agent started talking about how he wished he could transfer over to the FAA and be an inspector. Then he brought up how they won't let him have a gun. He really wanted to carry a gun. Ben said he found great relief in this agent not being allowed a gun. :D
 
Tristar said:
I wonder how much of security is real and how much of it is just to make people feel safe...SNIP.....
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It is all a fantasy. Another example of government bureaucracy gone power mad. Funny thing is, England has the same nonsense. How EVER anyone could consider tweezers or nail clippers dangerous when they have no issue with pens, pencils, or ANY carryon.
Every step was designed to deflect criticism the government wasn't doing anything for if you spend an hour or more in a TSA security line, shoeless, beltless, and sweaterless, you'd quickly think your government was doing all it could to make your flight safe.
Then again, there was the news report of contract cleaners roaming free through the terminals at Logan Airport WITHOUT TSA security (since those guys went offduty at midnight).
Fantasy. Pure fantasy.
 
KennyFlys said:
Then he brought up how they won't let him have a gun. He really wanted to carry a gun. Ben said he found great relief in this agent not being allowed a gun. :D
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A significant number of TSA screeners do the job because they never could have made it as a law enforcement officer - working for the TSA gives them some feeling of power over the people.
 
wsuffa said:
A significant number of TSA screeners do the job because they never could have made it as a law enforcement officer - working for the TSA gives them some feeling of power over the people.
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and they earn more than what there were at McDonalds flipping burgers.
 
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