Man cited by police after TSA catches him with loaded gun at Washington Dulles International Airport

Local Press Release
Monday, December 7, 2020
TSA officers detected this loaded handgun at one of the checkpoints at Dulles Airport on Dec. 4. (TSA photo)

DULLES, Va. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Washington Dulles International Airport stopped a California man from bringing a 9mm handgun loaded with 11 bullets, including one in the chamber onto an airplane on Friday, Dec. 4.

A TSA officer who was staffing the security checkpoint spotted the handgun when it appeared on the checkpoint X-ray monitor. TSA officials immediately alerted the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Police, who confiscated the handgun and briefly detained the man for questioning before citing him on a weapons charge.

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100 and can go as high as $13,669 depending on any mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Firearms caught at Washington Dulles International Airport checkpoints, 2015 to 2020

Year

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020 (As of 12-6-20)

Number of firearms caught

16

21

16

17

19

7

When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

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