This gun was caught by TSA officers at a Philadelphia International Airport checkpoint on Oct. 12. (TSA photo)
PHILADELPHIA – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Philadelphia International Airport prevented a Montgomery County, Pa., man from bringing his handgun through the security checkpoint yesterday, Wednesday, Oct. 11. The .45 caliber gun was loaded with 11 bullets including one in the chamber.
The gun was caught as the man, a resident of Hatfield, Pa., entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on his carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection. The firearm was confiscated by the police. The man was not only cited by police, but he also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
“Let me be very clear when I say that there is absolutely no excuse for bringing a gun to our checkpoints,” said Christine Assili, TSA’s Deputy Federal Security Director for the airport. “You certainly can’t carry a firearm onto your flight, so don’t bring one to our checkpoint and expect to bring it on board. This was a good catch on the part of our TSA team here at Philadelphia. Our officers are good at their jobs and are very vigilant when it comes to helping ensure that no illegal or prohibited items are carried onto a flight.”
Firearms caught at TSA checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport, 2017 to 2023
|
Year |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (As of 10/11/23) |
|
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) |
35 |
25 |
20 |
26 |
39 |
44 |
36 |
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to individuals who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to individuals with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried through a checkpoint. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
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. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).