Windsor Locks, Conn. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a female soldier from carrying a firearm onto her flight at Bradley International Airport (BDL) on Monday, May 24. It was the second firearm detected at BDL this year.
During security screening on Monday morning at 10:40, a TSA officer detected the unloaded 25 caliber firearm in the woman’s purse. Connecticut State Police responded and took possession of the firearm. During questioning, the woman stated she forgot the gun was in her purse. She was eventually arrested on a state charge for circumventing security.
“Our TSA officers continue to do a fantastic job preventing firearms from entering the secure area of the airport,” said William Csontos, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Connecticut. “The summer travel season starts this weekend and passengers who are traveling with firearms should ensure they are properly packed in their checked baggage.”
In 2020 TSA discovered only one firearm at BDL security checkpoints and seven in 2019.
TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100 and can go as high as $13,669 depending on any aggravating circumstances. 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. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.
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.