News
News

Rock star accused of bringing loaded gun to Atlanta airport

Rick Derringer, performing in 2012, was detained at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Monday. (Credit: Jeff Daly/Invision/AP)

Credit: Jeff Daly/Invision/AP

Credit: Jeff Daly/Invision/AP

Rick Derringer, performing in 2012, was detained at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Monday. (Credit: Jeff Daly/Invision/AP)
By Ellen Eldridge
Jan 11, 2017

Rock star Rick Derringer was detained at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for having a loaded gun in his carry-on bag in a secure area, according to officials.

The Grammy-winning "Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo" singer was on his way back to the United States from Mexico on Monday night when TSA agents found the gun, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Federal law bans weapons on planes or in carry-on luggage.

Derringer, 69, was heading to a connecting flight to Florida, where he has a valid concealed weapons license, when a TSA supervisor noticed a gun magazine in the X-ray of his bag. The agent found a Kel-Tec .380 handgun and 12 rounds, Channel 2 reported.

The FBI has taken over the investigation.

About the Author

Ellen Eldridge
More Stories

Keep Reading

Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth, among others, will no longer be considered fee-free days at U.S. National Parks. While the MLK National Historic Park in Atlanta doesn't charge admission, the new schedule will affect such metro Atlanta sites as Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

MLK Day, Juneteenth cut from national parks’ free days; Trump’s birthday added

The Trump administration has altered which days national parks will allow free entry for residents and citizens next year.

LISTEN

‘It’s UATL’ podcast: Holy Booty: The Weight of Beauty Standards

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also tell your smart speaker to “play ‘It’s UATL’” podcast.

More of the AJC’s in-depth coverage of Atlanta’s plans for international event

The Latest

From left: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, commission chairman Rob Pitts and Sheriff Patrick Labat.

Credit: Broly Su/AJC

A.M. ATL: Playing the blame game

MLK Day, Juneteenth cut from national parks’ free days; Trump’s birthday added

Sweet Tea: To care is human

Featured

Ceudy Gutierrez reads a book to her 2-year-old son, Matias, at their home in Buford, GA, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Ceudy Gutierrez is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her three young kids following her husband’s ICE arrest earlier this fall. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

When ICE takes breadwinners, it takes a toll on families ... and on the economy

For immigrant families, brushes with ICE can result in financial precarity that could have implications for the broader economy.

‘I’m a bad kid,’ he told himself. How Georgia’s special ed program failed one child.

Parents find that it's easy to get into the GNETS program, but in some districts, difficult to leave.

‘A lot of blame, but not enough action’: Atlanta leaders lack path to fix jail

Stakeholders across Atlanta and Fulton County grapple with a complex web of issues that contribute to overcrowding, crumbling structure.