Hong Kong drops gun charge against Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson

Last week, Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson said it was an honest mistake when he arrived in Hong Kong with a gun in his briefcase.

Wilson was promptly arrested, charged with possession of an unregistered firearm, released on bail, and instructed to remain in the country.

Now, a Chinese court has dropped the charge against him. His passport has been returned and he has been allowed to continue on his trip, according to a statement from his office.

“The Chinese authorities conducted themselves in a professional manner, and I commend them for their diligence,” Wilson said in a statement. “The mistake, after all, was fully mine. I am relieved we were able to resolve this matter efficiently, and I want to apologize for the concern I created."

"I think we all can learn from what happened here. First, of course, to always check your carry-on baggage before you go through airport security. But more important, when you make a mistake like this one, the right thing to do is to show respect and accept responsibility.”

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Wilson, a Republican from Longview, was on a trip to Asia with his wife, partially for a vacation and partially in his role as a port commissioner. During the flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong, he opened his briefcase and discovered he had left his firearm inside.

“This was a mistake on my part, and I regret it,” Wilson said in a statement. “I packed quickly and failed to check the contents of my briefcase. Over the Pacific, I reached into my briefcase for gum and felt my gun instead. My heart sank. I understood immediately what had happened, and that my only option was to report to the proper authorities, cooperate fully, and respect the laws of the land where my plane was about to touch down.”

Wilson's office says the firearm was unloaded. The gun made it through security checkpoints at Portland International Airport before Wilson transferred to an international flight out of San Francisco.