COLUMBUS, Ohio – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a passenger from bringing a loaded handgun on board a plane at a John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) checkpoint.
The incident occurred this morning just before 5 a.m. at Checkpoint A. The man was stopped by TSA officers with a loaded Sig Sauer P239 .40 Cal handgun.
TSA Transportation Security Officer Yvonne Castleman detected the firearm as the man’s carry-on bag passed along the conveyor belt in the checkpoint X-ray machine. Castleman immediately contacted the Columbus Regional Airport Authority Police Department, which responded to the checkpoint.
To date, TSA officers have detected four firearms at CMH checkpoints this year. TSA found 15 firearms at CMH last year.
There is a right way to travel with a firearm and a wrong way. The wrong way is to bring it to a checkpoint. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed in a hard-side case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Then the firearm must be taken to the airline check-in counter.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on TSA.gov. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition so travelers should contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.
The Transportation Security Administration screens more than 2 million passengers and their luggage every day for prohibited items, including weapons and explosives. To do this, TSA uses imaging technology to safely screen passengers for any items which may be concealed under clothing, while X-ray units screen all carry-on baggage.