Update: Loaded gun found in carry-on at SLO County airport was from SLO police officer
Update, 7:50 p.m.:
The passenger found with a loaded handgun in a carry-on bag at San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport was an on-duty San Luis Obispo police officer, the city confirmed late Wednesday.
According to a city news release, the officer was “traveling on-duty for an investigation” Monday when a firearm that was meant to be put in checked luggage was instead put in their carry-on bag.
TSA security screening retrieved the gun and interviewed the officer who identified themselves as an on-duty Police Department employee, the release said.
The officer was then allowed to continue to their destination.
“When on-duty law enforcement officers are traveling on official business, they often need to bring safety equipment, including firearms, to perform their duties,” the city said in a statement. “Federal law authorizes police officers to carry firearms on airplanes in checked luggage, or carried on their person, if necessary, with the completion of administrative forms in advance.”
The Police Department will conduct an internal review of this incident, the release said.
“We regret the disruption and would like to thank our law enforcement partners at TSA for keeping our community and travelers safe here in San Luis Obispo,” the statement concluded.
There did appear to be some discrepancy though on when the gun was found.
The San Luis Obispo statement said the incident happened Monday, though an earlier Transportation Security Administration news release said it occurred Wednesday morning.
San Luis Obispo Police Department spokesperson Christine Wallace confirmed to The Tribune the incident occurred Monday.
Original story:
Transportation Security Administration agents found a loaded gun stowed in a passenger’s carry-on bag at San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport early Wednesday morning.
Around 3:45 a.m., a 9 mm Glock 19 handgun loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition was discovered in a female passenger’s bag at the airport’s security checkpoint during routine X-ray screening of carry-on luggage, TSA said in a news release.
Upon seeing the X-ray image of a gun on the screen, TSA agents notified the SLO County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement officers removed the firearm and interviewed the female passenger, according to the release.
The passenger was ultimately allowed to continue on to her destination in Denver, though she received an enhanced screening prior to being allowed through the security checkpoint, the release said.
TSA didn’t say what happened to the gun.
The incident marks the first firearm found at the SLO County Regional Airport in 2025, and the eighth since 2019, the release said. One gun was discovered at the airport last year.
“I am grateful for the TSA officers who continue to stay focused on detecting potential security threats,” said TSA SLO County Regional Airport federal security director Anita Minaei in the release. “Firearms brought by travelers in carry-on luggage continue to be an issue at airports across the country, including (the SLO County Regional Airport). My hope is that highlighting the discovery of this firearm will be an incentive for gun owners to reacquaint themselves with the rules on traveling with a firearm on a commercial aircraft.”
Passengers found carrying guns in their luggage could face fines and criminal citations, which could varying depending on if the gun was loaded or if ammunition was accessible. Even travelers with concealed weapons permit are not permitted to bring firearms in carry-on luggage.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 4:03 PM.
