Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson known as the incident “an honest mistake.”
October 24, 2023, 9:17 AM
U.S. officers are investigating after a state senator boarded a flight to Hong Kong with an unloaded firearm in his carry-on luggage.
Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson used to be arrested in Hong Kong on Friday after finding the firearm in his carry-on luggage and reporting it to customs officers, in keeping with a statement from Wilson.
A spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration mentioned Wilson boarded a flight from Portland and “passed through security and traveled with an unloaded firearm in his carry-on bag.”
The TSA “takes this situation very seriously and is currently investigating the circumstances,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Departing vacationers wait at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) safety checkpoint at Baltimore-Washington Airport (BWI) in Baltimore, Maryland, April 26, 2023.
Ting Shen/Bloomberg by way of Getty Images
Wilson known as the incident “an honest mistake” announcing he came upon the weapon mid-flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong when he reached into his briefcase and felt the firearm within. Once the aircraft landed, Wilson mentioned he “immediately” reported it to customs officers.
In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting, Wilson blamed the TSA for no longer catching the firearm stateside.
“I should have never been out of security in America,” Wilson mentioned. The commentary later added that “baggage screeners failed to note” the pistol in his briefcase whilst going via safety in Portland.
The senator mentioned he has since been charged in Hong Kong with ownership of an unregistered firearm. He used to be launched Sunday after posting bail and faces a listening to on Oct. 30, Wilson mentioned.
Wilson mentioned he used to be touring along with his spouse at the first leg of a five-week holiday in Southeast Asia when the incident came about.
TSA has up to now reported its finding firearms in carry-on luggage at document charges in fresh years. Earlier this month the company mentioned it is heading in the right direction to intercept a document collection of firearms at U.S. airports this 12 months, catching a median of 20 weapons an afternoon.
ABC News’ Karson Yiu contributed to this record.
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