Security finds shotgun barrel in carry-on luggage at JWA

Authorities at John Wayne Airport found a shotgun barrel in an outbound passenger’s carry-on luggage Wednesday morning, a spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration said.

The passenger was preparing to board US Airways Flight 42 to Phoenix. He was stopped at an airport security checkpoint when the X-ray machine detected the barrel of a shotgun in his luggage, said Nico Melendez, a regional spokesman for the TSA.

The passenger said he had bought the firearm part at a gun show and thought he was permitted to carry it with him into the airplane cabin, according to Melendez.

TSA officers responded, determined that the passenger did not have other firearms or firearm parts, and escorted the man back to the ticket counter where he checked in the item, Melendez said.

Last month, authorities at JWA confiscated throwing stars and .22-caliber bullets from passengers on three outbound flights.

Weapons need to be checked in luggage. In the case of guns, they need to be emptied, in a proper carrying case, and airline officials need to be made aware that a gun is being checked.

— Lauren Williams