TSA detected this handgun inside a backpack of a man who worked at one of the airport retail shops on June 29. (TSA photo)
NEW YORK – A man was arrested by police at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) yesterday (June 29) after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers detected a loaded handgun in the man’s backpack as he entered a security checkpoint. The man, a resident of Queens, N.Y., worked in the airport at one of the retail shops.
TSA secured the handgun and notified Port Authority Police. Upon the man’s arrest, his airport security ID badge was confiscated. The badge is required of individuals who work on the secure side of the airport; without it, the man is no longer able to work there.
The .45 caliber handgun was loaded with four bullets and was confiscated by Port Authority Police.
In addition to his arrest, the man also faces a stiff federal financial penalty. Federal penalties can reach as high as $15,000 for bringing a weapon to an airport checkpoint, depending on the circumstances.
“This was a good catch on the part of our TSA officers,” said John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “We are seeing a record high number of travelers because we are within the July 4th travel period, and this is no time to be carrying prohibited or illegal items. Yesterday alone, TSA screened nearly 2.8 million travelers nationwide. It’s busy out there and when someone brings a prohibited or illegal item such as a firearm to an airport security checkpoint, it slows things down for everyone else.”
It was the sixth firearm that TSA officers have detected at the airport’s checkpoints so far this year. In 2022, seven guns were removed from carry-on bags at the airport.
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 reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to individuals who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. This applies to people 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 an individual with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
TSA reminds passengers and airport employees to always know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA has multiple resources available to passengers to help them 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.