QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) — One man’s Nikes were packing some heat.
A man allegedly hid a .45 gun and bullets in a pair of green and white Nike sneakers that were found in his checked bag at LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Officers found the weapon after the bag triggered an alarm while it passed through the TSA explosives detection unit. The gun was in one shoe and a magazine loaded with six bullets was tucked in the other shoe, officials said.
The man was arrested at the gate and is facing weapons charges, according to the TSA.
Travelers are allowed to pack guns in checked bags but the firearms must be placed in a hard-sided locked case, officials said. The case also needs to be checked in at the airline counter.
“Attempting to conceal firearms inside shoes in a checked bag doesn’t cut it,” Robert Duffy, TSA’s federal security director for the airport, said. “If you want to travel with your gun, travelers only need to pack it properly.”
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.
