United Flyer Boards Plane With Loaded Firearm: Huh

Intro

A recent report has just come out online that a man flying out of Chicago boarded a plane last month with a loaded firearm in his carry-on luggage. While in the past we have heard reports of TSA letting multiple weapons through every year, this is a bit of a different situation.

What Happened?

A man, identified as Besnik Ismajlaj, was heading through the TSA Checkpoint at Chicago O'Hare last month at Terminal 1, when he proceeded to take his loaded firearm through. Reports have indicated that the TSA agents did identify a firearm in his luggage, but Besnik simply took it off the belt and walked off.

This is certainly an interesting paradox

Supposedly, TSA informed the police, who headed off to gate E14, entered the plane, and placed the man under arrest. Besnik informed the agents that it was in his bag and didn't resist arrest, which I guess is one positive out of this situation.

For those curious, Besnik has a concealed carry permit and was in possession of a Glock 9mm. However, it is still illegal to bring a loaded firearm on a plane...

How Did This Happen?

Supposedly, during the time Besnik went through security, there was a shift change happening at that exact moment. While I am sure/hope the TSA agents were just about to let the other shift members know, Besnik must have just walked off before they said anything.

If it wasn't an accident on Besnik's side, one has to wonder if he has done it before. Especially with the track record that the TSA has...

See, to me, this is why I love the security lines that send flagged bags off to one side to be searched, and bags that are not flagged down the line. It's simple, it works, but albeit time-consuming.

Final Thoughts

Recent bodycam footage has been released showcasing a story of how a Chicago native managed to somehow get a loaded firearm onto a plane. While TSA originally "flagged it", one has to wonder what really happened here. It seems like there are some details missing.