Police searching for passenger who left loaded gun at Atlanta airport

ATLANTA - Authorities say a traveler left a loaded handgun at a security checkpoint at the Atlanta airport.

While authorities find guns nearly every day in carry-on luggage, Hartsfield-Jackson officials say this gun raised a red flag because the passenger did not wait to answer questions. Instead, they say he walked out of the airport.

The flow of passengers logging carry-on items is at times nonstop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. According to investigators, the traveler came through the first lane of the main security checkbook on a busy Sunday night. 

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After detecting the loaded weapon, a TSA agent pulled the bag to investigate. When the traveler realized his bag was taking a while to be returned, he simply left the airport before an Atlanta officer could come up and start asking questions.

It's an action that Atlanta City Council member Michael Julian Bond called "startling and frightening."

"If his intentions are good he'd have no reason to leave, right?" Bond asked.

Due to a change in Georgia law, the police enforcement powers at the Atlanta airport are reduced. Under the new law, police can not confiscate a weapon and can not compel travelers to submit to a debriefing.

"It must be addressed," Bond said. "You can't make the assumption that it's all going to be OK, that every person that owns a gun is a responsible gun owner, and that they have good intentions."

Atlanta police say the gun is not stolen and came back clean after an investigation. They still have some questions for the gun's owner, however.