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Judge denies Georgia airport gun request

ATLANTA, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- A U.S judge says he won't allow gun rights supporters to carry concealed weapons in Atlanta's busy international airport.

U.S. District Court Judge Marvin Shoob ruled Monday against a request by the group GeorgiaCarry.org and a Georgia state legislator to temporarily allow the public to carry concealed guns in the non-secure parts of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport while the details of how a new state gun rights law affects the airport are sorted out, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

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Shoob denied the group's request for a temporary injunction partly because there is substantial doubt the group will prevail in its main lawsuit against the airport, which it accuses of trying to thwart the intent of a new state law allowing concealed weapons to be carried in state parks, restaurants that serve alcohol and on mass transit, the newspaper said.

"There is a significant question as to whether permitting the carrying of guns in the airport is a serious threat to the public safety and welfare," Shoob said.

Airport officials argued that allowing guns in non-secure areas such as lobbies and ticketing areas crates the danger of panic and "a stampede" from nervous travelers if a gun were to go off.

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