TSA officers at Newark Liberty International Airport stopped a man with this handgun at the security checkpoint on April 28. (TSA photo)
NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia man was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Newark Liberty International Airport stopped him with a .38 caliber handgun in his carry-on bag earlier today (April 28). The firearm was loaded with six bullets.
When the TSA officer spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine in Terminal B, Port Authority Police were alerted, came to the checkpoint and confiscated the weapon from the man before arresting him on weapons charges. The man told officials that he forgot that he had his loaded gun with him.
When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.
This individual also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a security checkpoint. The penalty for bringing a weapon to a TSA checkpoint can cost as much as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
“Bringing a gun to our checkpoints is a serious security and safety concern,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “The fact that this individual told us that he forgot that he had a loaded gun with him is equally disconcerting. Responsible gun owners know where their gun is at all times. Guns should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage.”
Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent of those guns were loaded.
TSA firearms catches at airport checkpoints at Newark Liberty International Airport, 2018 to 2023
|
Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (As of 4/28/23) |
|
Guns caught at Newark Liberty International Airport checkpoints |
14 |
11 |
11 |
12 |
14 |
5 |
TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. This applies to individuals 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.
TSA reminds people to always know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA has multiple resources available to help determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage, either or neither. Travelers can use the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the free downloadable myTSA app. Travelers can also tweet to @AskTSA or send a text message (275-872) if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance.