Packers LT Rasheed Walker Arrested at LaGuardia for Firearm Possession
Green Bay Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker was arrested at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on the morning of January 23 after attempting to check a bag that contained a firearm. According to reports, Walker is facing two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of criminal possession of a firearm.
Per the criminal complaint, Walker informed an airline employee that his checked bag contained a locked box with a handgun inside. That disclosure led to Port Authority Police being notified. Upon inspection, officers found a 9mm Glock pistol and 36 rounds of ammunition secured in the locked container.
Walker appeared in Queens County Criminal Court later that same day and was released. He is scheduled to return to court on March 19.
His attorney, Arthur Aidala, stated that the gun is legally licensed in Wisconsin, where Walker resides, and that the 25-year-old offensive lineman was unaware of New York’s much stricter firearm travel laws. It’s a situation that’s caught more than a few travelers off guard over the years - what’s legal at home doesn’t always fly, literally or legally, in New York.
Walker, a 2022 seventh-round pick out of Penn State, earned the starting left tackle job this season and held it down all year, beating out rookie Jordan Morgan for the role. His performance helped stabilize a young Packers offensive line that exceeded expectations, especially in the second half of the season. Now, as he heads into unrestricted free agency this March, this off-field incident adds an unexpected wrinkle to what was shaping up to be a pivotal offseason for the young lineman.
It remains to be seen how this situation will impact Walker’s future - both with the Packers and around the league - but for now, all eyes will be on his next court appearance and how the legal process unfolds.