Local man caught with loaded gun by TSA at Pittsburgh Airport checkpoint

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Pittsburgh, Pa., man was prevented from bringing his loaded handgun onto his flight yesterday, Thursday, May 25, when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Pittsburgh International Airport detected his handgun in the man’s carry-on bag. The 9mm gun was loaded with 17 bullets.

When the TSA officer spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine, airport police were alerted, came to the checkpoint and confiscated the weapon. The man also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty. Federal penalties for bringing weapons to the checkpoint can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.

When a traveler brings a gun to the airport checkpoint, the U.S. States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania requests county sheriffs to rescind a resident’s firearm concealed carry license due to negligence.

“Yesterday was one of the busiest travel days of the year across the country, as the start of the Memorial Holiday Weekend of travel has started,” said TSA Federal Security Director Karen Keys Turner. “It was and is no time to be toting guns and other prohibited items around in a carry-on bag. There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a firearm to an airport security checkpoint. Responsible gun owners know where their guns are at all times and they know not to bring them to a security checkpoint. Travelers play an important part in ensuring a smooth checkpoint experience and that means knowing that you have no prohibited or illegal items with you. It is the responsibility of the traveler to know the contents of their carry-on items before they get to the airport.”

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Firearms are not permitted through a security checkpoint because passengers should not have access to a firearm during a flight. This even applies to travelers with concealed carry permits or are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint.  Individuals who bring their gun to a security checkpoint also face a federal financial civil penalty.

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 Pittsburgh International Airport, 2017 to 2023

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 gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating 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. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

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.

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).