This is definitely someone who shouldn’t be allowed to own a gun. If you pull a gun on an assailant and refuse to shoot, then congratulations, you’ve just armed your assailant. You never pull a gun on anyone or anything unless you are planning to shoot it. What an absolute moron. They give clowns a bad name.
You can fly with a gun in the US as long as it is in a checked bag. As long as it was in her checked bag and stored properly then the TSA has no reason to care. It was on her to know what is and isn’t allowed at her destination.