Flight Attendant Unaware of Gun in Carry-On Bag

An attorney for the flight attendant said the woman's husband left it in her bag

An attorney for the American Airlines flight attendant arrested at O'Hare International Airport said the woman did not know there was a gun in her carry-on luggage.

Sheila A. Schultz, of Palatine, Ill., was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 bail Saturday for allegedly trying to bring a gun onto an airplane at O’Hare International Airport. She was arrested Friday after an X-ray machine revealed the gun in her carry on luggage.

Defense attorney David Studenroth told the Associated Press the woman's husband inadvertently left the fully loaded .22 caliber revolver in the bag and that Schultz had no idea it was there when she went through the O'Hare security checkpoint.

Schultz, 65, was arrested and charged with one class 4 felony count of attempting to board aircraft with a weapon and one misdemeanor count of of possessing a firearm without a valid FOID.

An American Airlines spokeswoman confirmed to local media that Schultz is a flight attendant for the airline but declined further comment.

She has been an airline employee for 44 years and has no prior arrest record, the Associates Press reported.

Schultz was released on bail Saturday. Her next court appearance is Friday.

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