LINTHICUM, Md. – A Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, man was arrested yesterday, February 7, after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) stopped him from bringing a loaded handgun onto an airplane. It marked the sixth gun caught at the airport in the first six weeks of the new year.
TSA officers, who spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine, contacted the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, who arrived at the checkpoint, confiscated the gun, and arrested the man on a state weapons charge. The man told officials that he forgot that he had his loaded gun with him. He was carrying a .38 caliber handgun loaded with six rounds.
Last year TSA officers detected 22 firearms at the Baltimore airport’s checkpoints. Nationwide, 4,239 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints across the country, averaging about 11.6 firearms per day; approximately a 7 percent increase nationally in firearm discoveries from the total of 3,957 detected in 2017. Eighty-six percent of firearms detected at checkpoints were loaded and nearly 34 percent had a bullet in the chamber.
TSA Firearm Catches at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Firearms caught in 2016 |
Firearms caught in 2017 |
Firearms caught in 2018 |
Firearms caught in 2019 (As of 2-7-19) |
|
BWI Airport |
24 |
26 |
22 |
6 |
As a reminder, individuals who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement. Even travelers with concealed firearm permits are not allowed to bring guns onto airplanes. In addition, TSA has the authority to assess civil penalties of up to $13,000 for weapons violations. A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $3,900. The complete list of penalties is posted online. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on TSA.gov. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.