TSA officers at Yeager Airport stopped a man with this loaded handgun at the security checkpoint on July 5. (TSA photo)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Putnam County, W.Va., man was cited by police after Transportation Security Administration officers at West Virginia International Yeager Airport stopped the man with a loaded handgun at the security checkpoint on Wednesday, July 5. The 9mm handgun was not loaded however it was packed with two gun magazines loaded with a total of 11 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 from the traveler, a resident of Red House, W.Va. Police also cited the man on a weapons charge.
“It’s a busy summer and is no time to be bringing guns and other prohibited items in your carry-on bags because doing so slows down our checkpoints,” said John C. Allen, TSA’s Federal Security Director for West Virginia. “When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Responsible gun owners know where their firearms are and they know that they are not permitted to be carried onto a flight,” he said.
“Wednesday’s gun catch was the eighth gun caught at the airport so far this year, which sets a new record and we still have six more months to go in 2023,” Allen added. “This is not the type of record we want to set. We would much rather that travelers not bring their firearms to our checkpoints.”
Individuals who want to bring their guns with them when they fly need to pack them properly in their checked luggage, and declare them at their airline check-in counter to be transported in the belly of the plane where nobody has access to firearms during a flight.
This individual also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty for bringing his gun to the checkpoint. Penalties for bringing weapons to the airport can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
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.
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 Yeager Airport, 2018 to 2023
|
Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 (As of 7/5/23) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Guns caught at West Virginia International Yeager Airport checkpoint |
6 |
7 |
4 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
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 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.
TSA reminds passengers 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.