Nancy Guthrie case sheriff Chris Nanos caught with undeclared gun at airport, bodycam reveals

TUCSON, ARIZONA: Newly released bodycam footage shows Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos being stopped and questioned by airport police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered an undeclared loaded handgun in his backpack at Tucson International Airport.

The incident occurred on November 6, 2024, but the footage was only recently obtained through a public records request. Nanos was not arrested or charged and was ultimately allowed to leave after missing his scheduled flight to California.

The video was released as the sheriff's office faces criticism over the arrests of livestreamers covering the Nancy Guthrie case.

TSA finds loaded gun in sheriff's backpack

According to an incident report and bodycam footage obtained by Fox News, TSA personnel flagged a backpack belonging to Nanos after spotting a Glock handgun during an X-ray screening at Tucson International Airport.

Authorities said the firearm contained five rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber. Airport police then pulled Nanos aside for questioning and read him his Miranda rights.

In the footage, Nanos explained that he had stayed at a hotel with his wife the night before and had placed the department-issued firearm in his backpack after deciding not to leave it in a vehicle parked with valet service.

"I didn't want to leave it in the valet, so I stuck it in that bag, the backpack, (and) took everything to the room," Nanos said. "Got up this morning in a rush, when we were late and just threw everything here."

After consulting supervisors, police escorted Nanos out of the secure area so he could return the weapon to his vehicle.

"You are free to go, good sir, have a wonderful vacation," the officer told him.

Although Nanos was not arrested or charged, he missed his original flight to Southern California and later boarded another flight for his planned vacation in Laguna Beach.

Federal rules generally allow active-duty law enforcement officers to travel armed if they meet specific requirements and notify airlines in advance. Critics, however, have questioned whether the sheriff received more favorable treatment than an ordinary traveler would have received under similar circumstances.

Footage surfaces amid Nancy Guthrie investigation

The release of the footage comes as Nanos and the Pima County Sheriff's Department continue overseeing the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of anchor Savannah Guthrie.

Nancy vanished from her Tucson-area home on February 1 and remains missing more than four months later. The sheriff's department recently drew attention after arresting three YouTubers and livestreamers who had been covering developments in Guthrie's neighborhood.

Alexander Zabel, Troy Bradshaw, and Damian Enderle face misdemeanor public nuisance-related allegations after authorities said residents repeatedly complained about blocked roads, trespassing, and disruptive activity.

The arrests prompted criticism from some content creators and free speech advocates. Enderle argued that authorities were unfairly targeting streamers covering a case that has remained unsolved for months.