Student arrested bringing stun gun on plane

NEW YORK — Authorities said a college student from China was arrested trying to carry a combination stun gun and flashlight onto a plane in New York City.

Sihui "Hannah" Xie said by phone Sunday that she pleaded not guilty and believes her weapons-possession case is on track to be resolved with a fine. Court records were not immediately available.

The Transportation Security Administration said a checkpoint screener spotted the item in Xie's carry-on luggage as she headed for an Orlando, Florida-bound flight at Kennedy Airport.

The TSA said the device initially just appeared to be a flashlight, but the screener looked more closely and saw it also was a stun gun.

Xie was then arrested. She's a student at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas.

[venusvegasvada]

I'm glad to see students come from China to the US for their education. Let them experience what freedom is like so they can take it home and motivate change. I think this is a very powerful way to push China towards Democracy.

As far as taking the stun gun on the plane, rules are rules and that was a serious oversight. She should have put it in her checked baggage.

I agree with nevwster1, arresting her was a bit extreme. They should have just confiscated it. I see no reason why they couldn't have put it in the cargo pit and returned it to her at her destination.

This same kind of thing happens to a lot of people. They forget things like a Leatherman tool or nail clippers or something in a carry on back pack that you can't carry on the plane. The TSA and security has confiscated thousands of things like this and instead of offering a way of getting these items into the cargo hold (as checked items with a ownership tag on them) they just take them. At the least they could offer a way of returning the property to forgetful people (like a mailer bag you can send home).

Sounds a little harsh to me.

[hammer1one]

What freedom are you referring to? We are losing our freedom everyday. Video cameras on every street corner. Tracking devices in you car and cell phone. States are banning everything. Now the Federal government wants to dictate what web sites you can and can't get into. We are not as free as you think.

[netjunkie1]

I think the TSA is paranoid.
I further think that there should be a post office near the checkpoint to offer alternative transportation of the item in question so the passenger doesn't lose it and the bin they use gets less use.

[bmallen3]

The TSA always catches "things", never terrorists. This person was not a terrorist and in reality posed no risk to anybody. TSA is always doing this crap and pretending it has something to do with air travel safety...it doesn't.

[Archie_Clements]

This is the second or third incident in the last couple of days that has been announced with much fanfare. Big Sis obviously needs another ten billion dollars in budget, 40,000 new TSA agents, and the ability to cavity search all commuters from Connecticut to New York. I can't believe that Americans don't see what is happening to this country as we give into manufactured fear.