Police cite woman after TSA officers at Norfolk Airport catch her with handgun

NORFOLK, Va. – Transportation Security Administration officers at Norfolk International Airport stopped a Virginia Beach, Va., resident from carrying her handgun onto a flight on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The .380 caliber handgun, was loaded with six bullets.  

TSA officers stopped the traveler when her carry-on bag triggered an alarm in the security checkpoint X-ray unit. Upon spotting the gun, TSA alerted the Norfolk Airport Authority Police, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the handgun, and cited the local woman on a weapons violation. The case will be forwarded to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.

“The busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period officially gets underway on Friday and our TSA officers are laser-focused on our mission to continue to stop weapons from being carried through our security checkpoints,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA Federal Security Director for the airport. “It is important for travelers to know what can and cannot be carried through our checkpoints—especially during what is typically the busiest travel period of the year. Any prohibited item, from a firearm to an oversized liquid, that is detected in a carry-on bag slows down the checkpoint screening process for the travelers whose carry-on bags trigger an alarm for a prohibited item. Please do not be that person.”

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their respective airline ticket counter. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case, and packed separately from ammunition. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have gun(s) with them at a checkpoint. This applies to travelers regardless of their concealed gun carry permit status. A concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. Members of TSA PreCheck® who travel with a gun in carry-on baggage will lose that privilege.  The complete list of civil penalties is posted online and can run into thousands of dollars.

Last year, 5,972 firearms were caught at airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-six percent of those guns were loaded.

Firearms caught by TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2022