What Not To Bring To New York’s 9-11 Memorial
Bring your family. Bring an American flag or two, if you want. But take us at our word: it’s probably not a good idea to bring along you favorite loaded weapon.
The Milwaukee, Wis., woman who allegedly tried to gain entrance to the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan with a loaded gun was held on $30,000 bail after a court appearance Monday, officials said.
Ursula Jerry, 41 years old, tried to pass through the metal detectors at the memorial’s visitors screening area with a .380-cal semiautomatic pistol in her purse, the official said. The weapon had two rounds in the magazine–none were in the chamber, a law-enforcement official said.
A private security guard working at the screening center stopped Ms. Jerry, who was alone, and notified the New York Police Department, officials said. She was arrested and was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, the official said.
“She said, ‘it’s my gun. I forgot I had this,’” Assistant District Attorney Ariel Pizzitola said during a hearing in a Manhattan courtroom on Monday.
Ms. Jerry does not have a permit for the gun in any state, the law-enforcement official said.
Ms. James’s defense attorney, Annie Costanzo, said the Wisconsin tourist is on disability and has family in Chicago. She said Ms. James has no violent criminal history.
Ms. Costanzo said Ms. Jerry attended Harold Washington College, a community college in the City Colleges of Chicago system, for one year. Ms. Jerry previously worked at the supermarket chain Dominick’s.
