PHOTOS: An Action News employee is on the flight
VIDEO: Erin O'Hearn's report.
It all began when a passenger boarding US Airways Flight 1195 from Philadelphia to Phoenix was going through a security gate Thursday morning. The man gave a bag to an employee who went around security with the bag and handed it back to the passenger.
Someone witnessed the exchange, found it suspicious and notified authorities.
The plane was on the tarmac ready to take off when police ordered it back to the gate. Officers entered the plane and removed the man in question.
Upon taking the man into custody, officers confiscated his carry-on luggage. Inside the bag they found an unloaded gun with several live rounds.
All passengers were taken off of the plane as a security measure to rescreen the plane. The flight, which was initially scheduled to leave at 7:30, eventually took off at 10:30 a.m.
The investigation is underway. The FBI classifies this as an isolated incident.
U.S. Airways released a statement saying:
Safety and security is our first and foremost priority in everything we do. We are cooperating with investigators fully and take security considerations very seriously.
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