I just heard a theory, which might explain (but not justify) how a very forgetful person could have a gun in their baggage.
The pilot has a Michigan permit to carry the gun. In most cases, any US pilot can get an extra airport ID badge (by watching a two-hour videotape), which allows us to totally bypass security at one airport-our crewbase. This guy could have carried his gun - through the bypass- from DTW to LGA etc, and legally, regarding the Michigan regulations. But why did he not somehow go through his bag later, at whatever home or hotel he stayed in? Something really strange will emerge during this investigation, but might not be released to the media. The guy I just flew with today spoke to the weird guy recently, having been already acquainted, and only got an odd, blank stare...................
By the way, our FOs all have a crash axe next to their seats in the cockpits. They therefore have a deadly weapon which can knock out anybody, or worse, with one blow, and IN EVERY COCKPIT in this fleet.
Do the flying public and media realize that we [and most other airline employees] can physically bring anything we want onto the airport ramp, various ops areas, or other airport locations, at most or all US flightcrew bases, if it is our crewbase? No x-ray machine is there to check us next to baggage claim etc. We just push buttons and/or swipe the card through a small box, and poof! There we are, walking around airplanes, fuel trucks, "sensitive cargo" etc..