TSA officers at BWI detected this handgun in a traveler’s carry-on bag on July 21. (TSA photo)
LINTHICUM, Md. – Transportation Security Administration officers at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) caught a McLean, Virginia, man with a stolen .45 caliber handgun loaded with seven bullets Monday, July 20.
A TSA officer spotted the gun in the man’s carry-on bag while it was inside the checkpoint X-ray machine. TSA immediately alerted the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, who arrived at the checkpoint, confiscated the firearm and detained the man for questioning before arresting him on weapons charges. It was determined that the handgun had been reported as stolen.
The man told officials that he did not know he had the loaded gun with him because he had recently moved into a new residence.
“Our TSA officers have remained focused on their mission during this pandemic, and they are very skilled at detecting prohibited items,” said Andrea R. Mishoe, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the State of Maryland. “This was a good catch for several reasons, not the least of which was the fact that the gun had been reported as stolen.”
TSA reserves the right to issue a financial civil penalty to individuals who bring firearms to checkpoints. 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. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online here: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/civil-enforcement.
Guns caught at BWI Airport checkpoints 2016 to 2020
|
Year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 (As of 7-21-20) |
|
Guns caught at BWI |
24 |
26 |
22 |
27 |
6 |
Nationwide last year, 4,432 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints across the country, averaging about 12.1 firearms per day, approximately a 5% increase nationally in firearm discoveries from the total of 4,239 detected in 2018. Eighty-seven percent of firearms detected at checkpoints last year were loaded.
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.