LINTHICUM, Md. – A Bedford, Pennsylvania, man was arrested at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) Sunday, Nov. 5 after a Transportation Security Administration officer caught him with a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his carry-on bag at a security checkpoint.
The man was found to have a 40 caliber gun loaded with nine bullets and an empty ammunition magazine in his possession. The man, who was originally ticketed to fly to Milwaukee, told officials that he forgot that he was carrying his loaded gun with him.
The TSA officer detected the gun as the man entered the TSA checkpoint and placed his carry-on items on the X-ray conveyor belt. TSA officers contacted the Maryland Transportation Authority Police who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the firearm and magazine and arrested the man on weapons charges.
Sunday’s gun catch brought the total number of firearms that TSA officers have detected at BWI Airport so far this year to 22. In 2016, a total of 24 firearms were detected at the airport’s checkpoints by TSA officers.
TSA Firearms Caught at BWI
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Number of Firearms Caught in 2013 |
Number of Firearms Caught in 2014 |
Number of Firearms Caught in 2015 |
Number of Firearms Caught in 2016 |
Number of Firearms to date in 2017 |
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Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport |
13 |
14 |
16 |
24 |
22 |
TSA’s website has details on how to properly travel with a firearm. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.