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Another NYC Tourist Arrested for Carrying Gun

By Brett Snider, Esq. on September 23, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A gun-toting tourist hoping to visit NYC's 9/11 Memorial did not have much time to reflect after she was arrested for carrying a semi-automatic weapon in her purse.

According to Gothamist, New York City is one of the stricter cities for concealed carry permits. So even though tourist Ursula Jerry had a valid Wisconsin permit, she was still allegedly violating the city's gun laws.

How can you travel to the Big Apple without your piece getting you in trouble?

Cruisin' the USA, Packin' Heat

The New York Post reports that Urusula Jerry, 41, of Milwaukee, "carried the weapon on the Amtrak train" and didn't intend to harm anyone with her loaded .38-caliber Kel-Tec semiautomatic.

Jerry may have avoided the TSA searching her purse by taking a train, but she should have checked the local laws in Manhattan to ensure that her out-of-state gun permit would be valid.

For any American traveling with a gun, it's important to remember three things:

  • You probably need a permit to carry a gun in any mode of transportation (car, train, etc.);
  • You can only carry guns on certain trains and planes (if checked); and
  • Your gun license may not have reciprocity in your destination city or state.

The last point is what tripped up Jerry; New York state doesn't have reciprocity with any other state, meaning you need a New York license to legally carry a gun while visiting the Empire State. In addition, New York City imposes its own license and permit requirements.

NYC's Concealed Carry Laws

It perfectly legal for some jurisdictions to honor these permits and not others.

Non-residents can apply for a permit to carry a handgun in New York state. But New York City has tightly regulated its concealed carry laws, making it almost impossible for a non-resident tourist to legally carry a handgun in the city.

Even if you are a New York City resident, the permit costs around $430 and can take up to eight months to obtain. So it may not be worth it to take your pearl-handled six shooter to see Lady Liberty.

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