6/13/2008

Former “American Idol” contestant has concealed handgun permit

American idol contestant, "Baby V," apparently forgot that she had her handgun with her when she went into the airport in Southwest Florida:

Gun found in luggage of ‘Baby V’ at Southwest Florida International Airport
RACHEL MYERS • RMYERS@NEWS-PRESS.COM • JUNE 11, 2008
Former “American Idol” contestant and Fort Myers resident Vonzell “Baby V” Solomon, 24, was detained Tuesday after security at Southwest Florida International Airport discovered a gun in her luggage.

Lee Port Authority spokeswoman Barbara-Ann Urrutia said the gun was not loaded, and Solomon had reportedly forgotten she had it in her luggage. The weapon was found as Solomon was making her way through the TSA checkpoint on a U.S. Airways flight around 12:15 p.m.

The gun was confiscated, and Solomon was issued a notice to appear in court on a misdemeanor charge of carrying a weapon into an airport. Solomon does have a concealed weapons permit, but carrying it into an airport is a violation of that permit.

It is not clear whether the weapon will be returned to her upon completion of the case, Urrutia said. . . . .

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3 Comments:

Blogger Jungle Jim said...

I used to work in airport security, years before 9/11. This type of thing occurred quite often.

Usually it was an off-duty cop or security guard who forgot that they had to check their gun in baggage when they traveled. When we found a gun in their carryons, we would call DPS and they would interview them and run a background check. If they didn't have any outstanding warrants and the matter appeared to be an honest mistake, then they would let them go.

Now, it is considered to be a much more serious matter. This woman will probably get a fine and probation at the least.

6/14/2008 11:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's peculiar how guns are such demonic objects of dread in the media, but to the people who own them they are about as scary as a clothes iron or a curling iron and are just as easily forgotten in the luggage.

6/15/2008 8:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The focus on guns, knives etc is so much bullshit.

within the past 8 months I accidentally carried a flint blade through London Heathrow.

What the hell, I wasn't going to hurt anyone with it, but if I was that way inclined; I could probably do as much damage with a duty free glass bottle as I could with knife.

Annon

6/16/2008 9:14 AM  

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