Former Boston Celtics basketball player Bill Russell listens in the audience during award ceremonies for the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. (AP)
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NBA legend Bill Russell was arrested earlier this week after allegedly packing a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag and attempting to bring it into a Seattle airport.
The Transportation Security Administration said that Russell was arrested Wednesday night after agents scanned his bag and noticed a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, according to ESPN.
Former Boston Celtics basketball player Bill Russell listens in the audience during award ceremonies for the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal on the campus of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013. (AP)
TSA spokeswoman Lori Dankers said the NBA legend was then turned over to Port of Seattle Police, cited for having the weapon in a prohibited area and released. The gun, which Russell had a permit for, was also confiscated.
Russell could be fined as much as $7,500, the TSA indicated, according to the Examiner.
The NBA legend was scheduled to fly to Boston from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to the Boston Globe.
As ESPN notes, airline passengers are allowed to pack firearms in checked luggage, but not carry-ons.
In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Russell with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor given by the U.S. government.
According to the Examiner, the NBA legend is an Obama supporter, despite the president's backing of stricter gun-control measures.
(H/T: Boston Globe)
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