by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:49 AM ET, Tue November 17, 2015
At a time where airport security is a major focus in the world, a man in Atlanta reportedly took his loaded handgun through security, onto his flight and all the way to his destination without being stopped by security.
According to Robin Rayne Nelson of DailyMail.com, 67-year-old retired truck driver Blake Alford from Jonesboro, Georgia, didn't realize a gun was packed away in his carry-on luggage when he entered Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Nov. 5.
After Alford put his bag through the airport's X-ray machine, he proceeded to board his Southwest Airlines flight without any issues before finally making it to his destination in Chicago. Once he arrived at his hotel room, he discovered the fully-loaded Ruger .380 semi-automatic pistol in his bag.
Alford flew back to Atlanta with the gun again, but this time it was properly stored in his checked luggage. He decided to come forward with his story in order to help other travelers avoid making the same mistakes and to force the Transportation Security Administration to address the situation.
Alford told the Daily Mail, "I just learned a very valuable lesson. Always check your bags before you travel."
TSA spokesman Mike England told Daily Mail that the department is investigating the incident, which comes at a time when security should be on high alert. Just a few days prior to the gun getting through security, a terrorist attack caused the crash of a MetroJet flight in Egypt, according to Russian officials.
England said TSA is "investigating this matter to determine what occurred and what steps, if any, need to be taken to ensure that security protocols are executed appropriately. If we find that standard procedures were not adhered to, we will re-train employees as necessary to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures. TSA employs a robust security system involving multiple layers of security, both seen and unseen, to protect the traveling public."
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