Latest news with #Ismajlaj
New York Post
14-05-2025
- New York Post
Video shows man dragged off plane after sneaking loaded gun through security at Chicago's O'Hare
Body camera footage shows the moment Chicago police arrested a passenger armed with a loaded gun on a plane at O'Hare International Airport — just minutes before takeoff. Besnik Ismajlaj, 53, slipped through security with the weapon during a shift change at a TSA security checkpoint last month and boarded his flight with the Glock 9mm semiautomatic in his carry-on bag, according to police. Newly released bodycam video shows Ismajlaj sitting in first class when authorities board and escort him off the aircraft. When the officers asked if he knew why they were there, he told them, 'Yeah, it's in my bag,' according to a police report obtained by CBS News. 'I forgot it,' he says to an officer once he's off the plane and he's placed in handcuffs, the clip shows. Ismajlaj appears calm and cooperative as the officers go through his backpack and find the pistol, according to the video. 3 Chicago cops escorted Ismajlaj off the plane on April 15. Chicago Police Department 3 Police found a semiautomatic pistol in Ismajlaj's backpack, video shows. Chicago Police Department Ismajlaj, of St. Charles, Ill., snuck the handgun through Security Checkpoint 2 at O'Hare's Terminal 1 during a TSA shift change on April 15. A TSA agent acknowledged seeing the gun on the X-ray machine, but Ismajlaj reached inside, grabbed his bag and left for his flight before they could confiscate it, TSA officials said, according to CBS. Another traveler waiting in the security line also provided cops with a description of what the gun-toting passenger looked like. Once he was removed from the plane and placed under arrest, the video shows cops loading him into the back of a police van on the tarmac and taking him to a holding room where he's read his Miranda rights. 3 Ismajlaj was charged with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm at the airport. Chicago Police Department Ismajlaj was charged with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm at the airport. He's due to appear in court on June 9.
CBS News
28-04-2025
- CBS News
Gun discharges while man tries to load it into case at O'Hare International Airport
Gun goes off when man tries to unload it at O'Hare Sunday morning Gun goes off when man tries to unload it at O'Hare Sunday morning Gun goes off when man tries to unload it at O'Hare Sunday morning A gun went off at O'Hare International Airport Sunday morning. Chicago Police said at 6:50 a.m. Sunday at Terminal 3, a 50-year-old man was attempting to load a firearm inside a metal gun case when the gun discharged. The Transportation Security Administration said the incident happened at the American Airlines baggage check-in counter. The agency had no further information. The man had a valid Firearm Owners Identification Card. No one was hurt and no one was arrested. In an unrelated event two weeks ago Tuesday, a man was arrested after he got a gun onto a United Airlines flight at O'Hare International Airport. Besnik Ismajlaj, 53, of St. Charles, was charged last week with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration said officers detected an image of a firearm inside a bag going through Security Checkpoint 2 at Terminal 1 the afternoon of April 15. Before Chicago Police could confiscate the gun, Ismajlaj reached inside the X-ray machine at the checkpoint, took the bag, and left for the gate, the TSA said. Video showed airport employees making a path down the middle of Terminal 1 as officers ran through. They were searching for Ismajlaj as he was headed to his gate with a gun. He was able to make it onto a United Airlines flight before Chicago Police and TSA officers tracked him down.
CBS News
23-04-2025
- CBS News
Passenger not pleased with lack of transparency when man was caught with gun on plane at O'Hare
Passenger has security concerns after man got onto plane with gun at O'Hare Passenger has security concerns after man got onto plane with gun at O'Hare Passenger has security concerns after man got onto plane with gun at O'Hare When a passenger with a gun was pulled from a United Airlines flight at O'Hare International Airport last week, his fellow fliers had questions. One week later, there were still no answers. CBS News Chicago has talked with multiple passengers about the incident on Tuesday, April 15. One gave her account of what happened, but more importantly, what didn't — specific security checks that one expert said should have taken place. Besnik Ismajlaj, 53, of St. Charles, was charged last week with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration said officers detected an image of a firearm inside a bag going through Security Checkpoint 2 at Terminal 1 the afternoon of April 15. Before Chicago Police could confiscate the gun, Ismajlaj reached inside the X-ray machine at the checkpoint, took the bag, and left for the gate, the TSA said. Video showed airport employees making a path down the middle of Terminal 1 as officers ran through. They were searching for Ismajlaj as he was headed to his gate with a gun. He was able to make it onto a United Airlines flight before Chicago Police and TSA officers tracked him down. Police said they "asked the individual if he knew why the police were on scene… to which the individual responded, 'Yeah, it's in my bag.'" Police said they recovered a loaded 9mm Glock semiautomatic pistol in said backpack. Cindi Coffman was on that flight. "The pilot kind of joked and said we were on the safest plane leave in Chicago that day," said Coffman, "really didn't even know what that meant." Coffman watched as four police vehicles pulled up on her side of plane, and a man was taken away in handcuffs by police. "It kind of just happened so fast that it was more like, what's going on, like what's happening?" said Coffman. Coffman said staff told passengers to get off the plane and bring their carry-ons, but she said nobody checked their bags or patted them down before they got back on their flight. "I feel like our lives were in jeopardy. I mean, you don't know this day and age what could happen — and even if he would have had more than one weapon on him, and he would have handed that off to another passenger on the plane?" Coffman said. "We weren't even scanned going back onto the plane." Transportation expert and DePaul University professor Joe Schwieterman said more action could have been taken when it comes to security. "You know, I think a reasonable compromise here would have been searching bags — not necessarily emptying bags, but certainly checking bags," he said. Airline experts said such scenes as the one last week are rare. O'Hare TSA screeners caught 78 firearms at the checkpoints last year. But again, police said this time, Ismajlaj reached into the X-ray machine and took his bag. "You know, shaping up to be a stressful summer. I mean, we've had a number of accidents in the industry. Flights are going to go out full. Airlines are having trouble getting new equipment — and that leads to a pressure-cooker environment," Schwieterman said. "We throw in TSA security concerns, you know, it's it all adds up to, I think, going to be some stressful time for flyers." Coffman said she went through plenty of stress as a flier last week — in large part due to lack of information. "I certainly don't feel like I should have found out that there was a gun on my plane via Google," she said. Coffman said she has tried to contact United about the lack of transparency, but has not heard back. She changed her return flight to avoid a connection in O'Hare.
CBS News
16-04-2025
- CBS News
Passenger charged after bringing gun to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
A St. Charles man was charged after bringing a gun in his bag to Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Tuesday afternoon. Police said Besnik Ismajlaj, 53, was charged with a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm at the airport. The Transportation Security Administration said officers detected an image of a firearm inside a bag going through Security Checkpoint 2 at Terminal 1. Before Chicago police could confiscate the gun, the Ismajlaj reached inside the X-ray machine at the checkpoint, took the bag, and left for the gate, the TSA said. Video showed airport employees making a path down the middle of Terminal 1 as officers ran through. They were searching for Ismajlaj as he was headed to his gate with a gun. One social media user posted, "CPD just yanked a guy off my flight at O'Hare," and added, "Now they made us deplane and do a full security sweep of the plane." A police source told CBS News Chicago the man arrested was a Firearm Owners Identification Card and concealed carry license holder. Ismajlaj is expected in court on June 9.
