TAMPA BAY, FLORIDA — Former Gators and Bucs receiver Louis Murphy was arrested last week for bringing a firearm to the Tampa International Airport, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Apparently, the former NFL receiver was trying to conceal the weapon from his daughter, and forgot it was in the backpack he brought to the airport with him.
The 29-year-old athlete was arrested on the felony charge because he did not have a permit to carry the Glock 23 handgun found in his bag.
Yikes.
He took to social media to apologize for the incident later in the week.
“I want to apologize to all my family, friends and fans,” Murphy wrote in a post on Instagram according to the Tampa Bay Times. “I hid my gun from my daughter in my book bag. A week later, I left to the airport rushing, I forgot I put it in my book bag. It was an honest mistake. Again, I sincerely apologize.”
There are two big things to take away, here.
First of all, although I can respect the sentiment, the proper way of securing a firearm, especially from a child, is not hiding a weapon in a bag. You gotta lock it away. In fact, in my state, you legally have to lock it away when there’s a chance a minor might stumble upon it.
Second of all, for the love of all that is good in this world, check your bags before you go to an airport, or any location of the kind.
I mean, for crying out loud, that’s not a firearm thing. That’s just a normal thing to do.
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