A 45-year-old man was arrested Tuesday when airport security officers discovered a loaded gun in his carry-on luggage.
The gun, a .380 caliber Kel-Tec loaded with five rounds of ammunition, was found at a security checkpoint inside a bag belonging to Douglas Egon Nielsen, who was heading to Atlanta. Salt Lake City International Airport police took the firearm and arrested him, the Transportation Security Administration reported.
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Nielsen was booked into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of possessing a dangerous weapon, firearm or explosive.
In fiscal year 2011, TSA officers in Utah have intercepted 26 guns. Nationwide, since January 2011, TSA officers have found over 800 firearms in carry-on bags, said Lorie Dankers, spokeswoman with the TSA’s northwest region.
Firearms, ammunition, firearm parts, and realistic replicas of firearms are prohibited in carry-on baggage. Passengers may transport these items, subject to certain restrictions, in their checked baggage, Dankers said.
"However, always check local laws related to the carrying and transport of firearms prior to bringing them to airports," she said.
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