Police arrest gun-carrying man outside airport as Obama departs

Asheville Airport Police arrested Joseph S. McVey, of Coshocton, Ohio, yesterday afternoon after President Barack Obama had just departed the area. According to police, McVey said he wanted to see the President and was found listening to local law enforcement channels while carrying a pistol, with “rifle scope formulas” in his car.

In an announcement, police state they spotted McVey pulling his vehicle into a spot in the rental-car return lot.

“The vehicle was equipped with clear LED law enforcement-style lights in the front and rear dash,” the announcement reads. “This vehicle was unknown to the law enforcement officers present. The vehicle had a mounted digital camera in the front window, and four large antennas on the trunk lid.”

McVey exited the car wearing a sidearm — later found to be an XD40 handgun — and “appeared to be listening to a handheld scanner/radio which was attached to a remote earpiece.” Approached by police and Secret Service, McVey produced an Ohio driver’s license that law enforcement couldn’t verify.

According to police, when asked what he was doing, McVey “stated that he heard the President was in town. He stated that he wanted to see the President.”

A search of his car “determined that Mr. McVey was in possession of a police scanner and was monitoring some local agencies when he arrived. Under the steering wheel was a siren box that was in working order and a note with rifle scope formulas in the cup holder.”

McVey’s arrest took place after Air Force One had departed the airport.

McVey was charged with going armed to the terror of the public, a misdemeanor. He will have his first court appearance Monday, April 26. The investigation is ongoing.

— David Forbes, senior reporter

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7 thoughts on “Police arrest gun-carrying man outside airport as Obama departs

  1. Piffy!

    what are rifle scope formulas?

    i suppose i could google it, but isnt that the reporters job?

  2. Piffy!

    [b]A note in his car’s cup holder had rifle scope formulas, which help a shooter adjust for distance from a target. Such formulas estimate how much a bullet drops after it is fired and are generally included with a scope purchased for hunting or recreation, said Greg A. Danas, a firearms expert based in Massachusetts. [/b]

    Oh, thanks AP.

  3. t

    couldn’t fox news alert their disenchanted loons from ohio that the president lives in the white house and it is a shorter drive than to asheville

  4. fredggg

    Epic Fail by the Asheville Airport Police. In post 9/11 days they stopped all cars and asked for flight information and made everyone open the trunk. Would have expected same or better on such an important day now. One time some hack there rudely ordered us to immediately move our car which was over their speed-bump cross walk. When we stated that we had an infant in the car not yet fully strapped in, we were told, “I don’t care.” That’s the level of professionalism you are dealing with there. I’m no security expert, but I assumed the Airport Police would have the common sense not to let an car with out-of-state plates, and a driver with no purpose being there, and carrying a side-arm to mosey on up to the terminal and fence while THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS THERE! Epic Fail and big embarrassment for our whole City for an otherwise wonderful Presidential visit. They screwed up big time. I can’t understand it.

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