Assemblyman Tim Donnelly Attempted to Bring Loaded Gun on Plane

--whose 59th District includes Sierra Madre, Monrovia, La Crescenta and other parts of the northern San Gabriel Valley--was cited by airport police Wednesday morning for carrying a loaded firearm in his carry-on baggage at the Ontario Airport.

At approximately 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, the Twin Peaks resident was stopped and cited by airport police for carrying a loaded .45 Colt Mark IV handgun in his luggage, said Nico Melendez, spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration.

In addition to the loaded firearm, officers located a separate ammunition magazine with an additional five rounds, Melendez said.

Donnelly was released by airport police and will appear in court at a later date.

The weapon was retained by Ontario Police.

A spokeswoman for Donnelly told the Sacramento Bee that the Assemblyman forgot the gun was in his bag.

"When he was packing to leave, he had forgotten that it was in there," said Cassandra Joiner, Donnelly's spokeswoman. "He didn't realize it when he put it through the metal detector."

Donnelly is a well-known opponent of gun control. From his campaign website:

We believe the 2nd Amendment confers upon every citizen the individual right to keep and bear arms, and that this right must not be infringed.

Patch is trying to get a comment from Donnelly and will update the story with new information as we get it.