'Accidental' gun discharge causes panic at Atlanta airport

WASHINGTON, Nov 21 (AFP): A gun that accidentally discharged after being discovered at an X-Ray checkpoint in Atlanta's busy international airport sent dozens of passengers scurrying for cover and briefly resulted in the facility's closure Saturday just days before the Thanksgiving holiday.

The episode, which highlights the highly politicized topic of gun prevalence in American society, resulted in three non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

It said the incident occurred after a "prohibited item" was identified inside a passenger's baggage by an X-Ray machine at a checkpoint.

As a Transportation Security Officer opened the compartment containing the gun, "the passenger lunged into the bag and grabbed a firearm, at which point it discharged."