Gun found in backpack at Myrtle Beach International

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - Officers with the Transportation Security Administration found a loaded gun in a backpack at Myrtle Beach International Airport.

A 59-year-old Murrells Inlet man, David Joyner Kelly, was arrested and charged with carrying concealable weapons into certain restricted areas, a misdemeanor.

The gun was a 9mm, loaded with two bullets. It was found in the backpack of the passenger at the security checkpoint on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

The TSA maintains a blog providing details on the prohibited items they discover. Bob Burns, a member of the TSA Blog Team, recently posted:

Unfortunately, these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it's great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. The passenger can face a penalty as high as $7,500.00.

This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

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