ORLANDO, Fla. _ A 29-year-old Daytona Beach, Fla., man was charged with carrying a concealed firearm when he brought his gun in his backpack last week to the Magic Kingdom, records show.
Disney security found the 9 mm handgun in a holster and two loaded magazines during a bag check area at the park's Ticket and Transportation Center, according to an arrest affidavit from the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
In an interview, Terry Bruce, who was charged with a third-degree felony, said he understood the seriousness of bringing his gun "in a place where families and children are."
"It was an honest mistake," Bruce said when contacted Monday.
Bruce said he normally keeps the gun in his trunk or his glove compartment but left it in his backpack because he and his girlfriend kept switching which car to drive to Orlando.
"I completely forgot the firearm was in my bag," said Bruce, who isn't licensed to carry a concealed gun.
A Disney spokeswoman called the incident a law enforcement matter, adding that Disney immediately notified authorities after finding the weapon.
Walt Disney World rules prohibit guns and other weapons at the parks.
It's at least the third incident involving a gun at Disney parks in recent months.
In October, a similar incident occurred where a man said he forgot he had brought a weapon into Magic Kingdom. In that case, the man was not arrested or charged with a crime even though he also did not have a concealed weapon permit.
In February, a Lake Mary couple told authorities that a man had pointed a gun at them in a dispute over a parking space for people with disabilities at Animal Kingdom. At the time, no one was charged with a crime because of conflicting stories between the two sides over whether or not the man had a gun.
