New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams was arrested Thursday night at LaGuardia Airport as he was about to board a flight when authorities discovered he brought a gun to the airport, police said.
Williams, 22, was arrested by the Port Authority Police Department for criminal possession of a weapon, after a Glock 19 pistol was found on him at LaGuardia Airport.
Williams has a permit for the pistol in his home state of Alabama, police said. But New York requires people to have pistol licenses in the state to carry concealed weapons.
Alex Spiro, the attorney representing Williams, said the athlete "respects and follows the law."
"There was allegedly a technical issue with the manner in which the lawfully-owned firearm was stored — and we expect the matter to be resolved shortly," Spiro said.
Flying with a gun is not illegal, but the firearm must be unloaded, locked in a hard container and stored in checked baggage, not carry-on luggage, according to the Transportation Security Administration. Airline passengers must also declare if they have a firearm when they check their bag.
It's unclear where Williams' gun was when he was arrested.
The Queens District Attorney's Office said Friday that Williams was released and is due in court on March 25.
A statement from the Jets said the team has "been in contact with Quinnen Williams and are fully aware of the situation," but would have no further comment "as this is a pending legal matter.”
