Last year, approximately 33 million people in the United States traveled aboard Amtrak trains. However, not a single one of those travelers had a zebra-print bag filled with firearms. That is until today. After attempting to board a train bound for Virginia with several loaded guns, a Florida man faced an indictment in New Jersey.
Police in New Jersey busted a Florida man for trying to travel with a bag full of guns and ammunition
Jeffrey O. Kennerk, 34, bought a ticket on an Amtrak train going to Virginia. He carried several suitcases, including a black-and-white zebra-patterned one. Kennerk left the bag unattended at New Jersey’s Penn Station. The unattended luggage prompted concern among the station’s officials.
After a K-9 unit cleared the bag of explosives, police examined the contents. It contained a 9mm Girsan Regard MC handgun with a filled 18-round magazine, a Zastava AK-platform rifle, and enough ammunition for everyone. Another of Kennerk’s bags contained an AR-platform rifle as well as another gun chambered in .300 AAC Blackout, a popular caliber for suppressed rifles. When it came to suppressed firearms, Kennerk’s luggage included four suppressors and other equipment.
Worse, the AG’s office claims that a police officer fired the AR-style gun while attempting to secure it. However, the office claims that the gun was “allegedly booby-trapped” and that the officer’s shot was not negligent.
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced today that Kennerk will be indicted for “blatant disregard for public safety.” “The defendant allegedly hauled a small arsenal of deadly weapons and ammunition through busy transit stations and on a train filled with passengers,” Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a public statement.
Amtrak now enables customers to carry weapons on its trains. However, there is a caveat. Indeed, there are several caveats to consider. For starters, the company’s weapons policy requires firearms to be stored in checked baggage rather than freely carried around in a zebra-striped carry-on.
Furthermore, gun owners must declare their firearms to Amtrak no later than one day before their trip. Unlike Kennerk’s other firearms, these weapons must be unloaded. Clearly, the Florida man overlooked the memo.
