Dwight Howard detained after gun is found in carry-on bag

By staff
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Updated: September 3, 2015

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Dwight Howard was held at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport after TSA agents found a loaded gun in the Rockets center’s carry-on bag.

Dwight Howard was detained at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport Friday morning after TSA officials found a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag, according to multiple reports.

The Rockets’ center was held at the airport’s United Airlines terminal until he was able to hand the gun over to an associate. Howard was not charged and boarded a later flight.

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On Tuesday, a new law went into effect in Texas that will give forgetful gun owners with the proper license a free pass if they accidentally bring a firearm into an airport — allowing them to avoid arrest on third-degree felony charges — the Dallas Morning News reported. It appears Howard got a head start on the new legislation.

“The team is aware of the incident,” Rockets spokesperson Tracey Hughes told the Houston Chronicle. “We are gathering information at this time.”

According to the Dallas Morning News, 127 guns were found at Houston’s two major airports in 2014 — 50 at Hobby and 77 at Bush Intercontinental — and more than 2,200 guns were found in carry-ons at airports nationwide.

“This isn’t unusual,” Houston PD spokesperson Kese Smith told ESPN.