Country music singer Sammy Kershaw was stopped at an airport last month for carrying a loaded handgun.
On May 28, Kershaw was on his way to sold out shows and festival dates when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) flagged the singer’s bag in Lafayette, Louisiana, according to Absolute Publicity.
The screening found a loaded handgun in Kershaw’s possession resulting in a $5,000 fine.
“It was early, I was half-awake and clearly not thinking straight,” Kershaw said in the press release. “I’ve sang songs about heartbreak and hard times but not about forgetting to check my carry-on for a loaded firearm. That’s a new one!”
Unloaded firearms that are locked inside of a case and ammunition are allowed when traveling by plane but can only be transported as checked baggage, according to the TSA website. However loaded firearms — including when both the gun and ammunition are accessible to the passenger — can result fines and or penalties.
The incident motivated Kershaw to warn his fans about checking their luggage carefully.
“I guess it’s safe to say I won’t be packing heat to my next show,” he adds. “Let this be your friendly PSA: check your bags, check ‘em twice. Let’s all stay safe out there.”
Kershaw is a Grammy-nominated, artist whose created six gold and five platinum albums that have been sold worldwide. Some of his more popular songs include, “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” and “I Can’t Reach Her Anymore.”
