Two Florida men have been stopped recently with guns in carry-on luggage at security checkpoints at two different Virginia airports.
A Florida man was arrested at the Norfolk International Airport security checkpoint after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers intercepted a gun among his carry-on items on April 21st. The 9mm handgun was loaded with eight bullets, including one in the chamber.
The firearm was removed from the checkpoint and confiscated by the Norfolk Airport Authority Police who arrested the man. TSA noted it does not confiscate firearms; law enforcement officers do.
Another Florida man was stopped by TSA officers at Richmond International Airport when they intercepted a gun at the security checkpoint on April 27th. The handgun was loaded with five bullets and was among the carry-on items belonging to the traveler.
“Our officers continue to prevent individuals from carrying guns onto their flights,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Individuals who want to travel with their gun need to be sure that it is unloaded and placed in a locked hard-sided case and then taken to the airline check-in counter to be transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during the fight.”
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online.
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. This also applies to travelers who are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint.
When a gun is detected in the checkpoint X-ray unit, the conveyor belt is stopped, and the police are notified. Police remove the carry-on bag from the X-ray unit because TSA does not want its officers handling firearms. Police determine whether a traveler is arrested or issued a criminal citation. Meanwhile the remaining passengers in the checkpoint lane either wait for the issue to be resolved or they are shifted to another checkpoint lane, thus delaying dozens of passengers from getting to their gates.
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.
