Tourist arrested with gun at 9/11 Memorial

NEW YORK, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- A Tennessee woman faces a felony gun possession charge after she brought a weapon to New York's Sept. 11 memorial and asked to have it checked, officials said.

Authorities said Meredith Graves, 39, was visiting the memorial Dec. 22 when she noticed a "No guns allowed" sign and asked a security guard if there was somewhere she could check her .32-caliber pistol, the New York Post reported Thursday.

The security guard took her to a police officer, who arrested her when she repeated her question.

Graves, who has a full legal carry permit in Tennessee, was arrested on a weapons-possession charge and released after posting $2,000 bond Wednesday. She is due in court on March 19.

The District Attorney's Office said it is seeking a felony gun possession conviction, which carries a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years in jail.

Graves could not be reached for comment and her Legal Aid lawyer did not return calls, the Post said.