American Idol Winner Scotty McCreery Cited for Trying to Carry Loaded Gun Through Airport

Country singer told police he had gone to a firing range and forgot to remove weapon

By Mike Vulpo Jul 21, 2017 10:39 PMTags
Scotty McCreery, 2017 ACM Awards, ArrivalsFrazer Harrison/Getty Images

Scotty McCreery recently experienced a dramatic visit to the airport.

According to multiple reports, the winner of season 10's American Idol was cited last week for trying to carry a loaded gun through a passenger checkpoint at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

In a police report released to ABC11, Scotty stated that he had gone to the shooting range earlier in the day and forgot to remove the loaded weapon and rounds from his backpack before entering the airport.

The report also stated that the 23-year-old was found to be in possession of a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and ammunition. While Scotty had a permit to carry a concealed handgun, he was cited and released for a misdemeanor violation when he tried to bring the firearm through an airport checkpoint and board a plane with it.

He has a court date pending for the citation, but is scheduled to perform tonight in Biloxi, Miss.

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"I have been a concealed carry permit holder for awhile now after being robbed at gunpoint in 2014, and I take gun safety very seriously. While in between tour dates last week, I went to go target shooting with a friend a few days before an early flight out of my hometown Raleigh-Durham airport. Unfortunately, I did not realize that I left my pistol in my backpack until the TSA found it during the security X-ray screening and rightly confiscated it," Scotty said in a statement to E! News. "I had my concealed carry permit on me so once they had checked everything out, they then released me to catch the next available flight. Great to know our airport security force is on the job. I have learned a lesson that I won't forget."

Fans first met Scotty when he appeared on the Fox singing competition series. After the votes were counted in the live finale, America chose the country singer over Lauren Alaina to be crowned the season's American Idol.

Since then, the singer has released a book titled Go Big or Go Home as well as albums including one titled Clear as Day.

Back in 2014, Scotty was a victim of a home invasion that left the young singer compelled to think of safety even more.

In an interview with The News & Observer, Scotty said he developed a "higher level of alert" in general. He also felt extra safe when he was on his tour bus with crew members.

"My bus would not be the bus to rob," he told the publication while laughing. "I've got guys that are always equipped to make stuff happen. And one of the guys is like a black belt in every martial arts you can think of."