Trail Blazer Sebastian Telfair will be disciplined for violating National Basketball league and team policy that bans firearms on team transportation.
A flight attendant found a gun under Telfair's handmade pillow while the Trail Blazer's team plane was being prepared for a flight from Boston to Toronto last Saturday. The National Basketball Association's league office is reviewing the incident.
When the gun was found, local authorities were notified immediately, according to Trail Blazers President Steve Patterson.
After questioning Telfair and conducting a preliminary investigation, authorities accepted his explanation that he had inadvertently grabbed his girlfriend's bag by mistake when he left for the team's current road trip. The bag contained his girlfriend's handgun that she purchased from a licensed gun retailer in Oregon for her personal protection. When Telfair made the discovery while in flight, he placed the gun inside his own pillow and chose to leave it on the plane for the rest of the trip.
The team has been told by Massachusetts authorities that they conducted an extensive investigation and checked the key aspects of Telfair's story, closing the investigation late Tuesday night, satisfied there was no illegal activity.
"(Telfair) has apologized profusely, but he knows he must be held accountable for his actions," Patterson said. "He will pay the price for his error in judgment for violating both team and league policy. The organization has also earned a lesson ... and is taking steps to tighten security for all carry-on items."
