This handgun was detected by TSA officers in a passenger’s carry-on bag at Hector International Airport (FAR) on Feb. 1. (TSA photo)
FARGO, N.D. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a passenger from bringing a handgun onboard an airplane at Hector International Airport (FAR) Thursday.
This is the second firearm detected at a FAR checkpoint this year. Three firearms were detected at FAR security checkpoints in total last year.
During the routine screening of carry-on luggage, a TSA officer spotted the image of a handgun on the X-ray screen. TSA officials immediately alerted the Fargo Police Department, and an officer responded to the checkpoint. The firearm was loaded.
“Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint presents an unnecessary risk to both passengers and airport employees,” North Dakota TSA Federal Security Director David Durgan said. “We urge passengers to start with an empty bag so you know with certainty that there is nothing prohibited inside.”
Nationally, more than 6,700 firearms were stopped at airport checkpoints in 2023.
In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, TSA fines passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint with a civil penalty up to approximately $15,000, revokes TSA PreCheck® eligibility for at least five years and may conduct enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline check-in counter. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.
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.