A Pennsylvania man was arrested and charged with carrying a loaded gun and a martial arts weapon, the cat-eye knuckles pictured here, at JFK International Airport last week, according the federal Transportation Security Administration. Photo courtesy the TSA
Those cat-shaped brass knuckles? Turns out it’s not such a good idea to try to bring them through airport security.
Richard Forti, 55, a resident of Lebanon County, Penn., allegedly tried to not only get said animal-inspired martial arts weapon past security at JFK International Airport on April 16, but he also somehow allegedly believed it would be alright to tuck a loaded handgun into the pocket of his vest, according to federal officials.
Forti quickly found himself in handcuffs and headed to jail after he was allegedly caught with the two weapons by Transportation Security Administration officers, who allegedly spotted the man’s .32 caliber handgun in his vest pocket as it passed along the conveyor belt, the TSA said. The cat knuckles, meanwhile, were allegedly tucked into his luggage and was spotted on the TSA X-ray image, officials said.
The gun was allegedly loaded with five rounds, the TSA said. After the finds, the TSA contacted the Port Authority police, who confiscated the loaded firearm and the cat knuckles and arrested Forti on a weapons charge. Forti was originally headed to fly to Los Angeles.
The April 16 incident marked the third firearm that TSA officers at JFK have stopped so far this year.
For anyone who may have never ventured into society before and doesn’t know this, weapons – including firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition are not permitted in carry-on bags. They can, however, be transported in checked bags if they are unloaded, properly packed, and declared to the airline.
Passengers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges and civil penalties of up to $11,000.
The TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website, http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-
By Anna Gustafson
