Second Person Who Tried Entering Empire State Building With A Gun Arrested

KEY POINTS

Gerald Warford from Louisiana was arrested Tuesday after a gun was found in his backpack
It was unclear whether Warford had a valid license for the gun
This is the second arrest in two days

A Louisiana man was arrested Tuesday for trying to enter the Empire State Building with a firearm. This incident marked the second such arrest in two days.

Gerald Warford, 22, was arrested at around 8.45 p.m. EDT after authorities located a gun in his backpack as it passed through a metal detector. It was not clear whether Warford possesses a license for the gun or would face charges.

Prior to Warford’s arrest, an 18-year-old Wyoming woman was held for the same. Sabrina Allee was reportedly busted Monday around noon after trying to pass her 9mm unloaded gun through the security checkpoint at the entrance of the city’s art deco landmark.

Allee had a valid license and permit for her weapon in her home state and was charged with a criminal possession of a weapon, the NYPD told 1010 Wins Radio.

A person travelling from other states to New York City is recommended by the National Rifle Association (NRA) to check the city laws regarding gun possession.

“Possession of a handgun within New York City requires a New York City handgun license or a special permit from the city police commissioner validating a state license within the city,” the organization stated.

Even New York state licenses are generally not valid within New York City unless a specific exemption applies, such as when the New York City police commissioner issues a special permit to the licensee or “the firearms covered by such license are being transported by the licensee in a locked container and the trip through the city of New York is continuous and uninterrupted,” the NRA had said in its advisory.

Before Allee's arrest, the last such incident was reported in 2013 when a 79-year-old man was arrested for bringing a gun into the Empire State Building. Evon Allen approached the observation desk with the gun in his backpack, the New York Daily News had reported at that time. An alarm was set off after the bag was put through a metal detector, resulting in his arrest. He was charged with criminal possession of a weapon.