This handgun was detected by TSA officers at a Norfolk International Airport security checkpoint on Aug. 28. (TSA photo)
NORFOLK, Va. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Norfolk International Airport prevented an airline employee from bringing his handgun past a security checkpoint yesterday, Monday (Aug. 28). The .22 caliber gun was loaded with 18 bullets.
The man, a resident of Chesapeake, Va., told officials that he forgot that he had his loaded gun with him.
The gun was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on the carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection. The firearm was removed by the local police, who cited the man on a weapons charge. His employee airport ID was also confiscated. Without the ID, the man cannot access secure areas of the airport. The man also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
The case will be forwarded to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.
“This was a good catch on the part of our TSA team here at Norfolk,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “As we all know, passengers are not permitted to carry their firearms through a security checkpoint. That goes for individuals who work at the airport as well as travelers. In this instance, this represented a possible insider threat with the individual being an airline employee.”
Firearms caught by TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2023
|
Year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 As of 8/28/23 |
|
Guns caught at Norfolk International Airport (ORF) checkpoints |
14 |
10 |
21 |
15 |
12 |
23 |
27 |
26 |
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to individuals 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 people with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried through a checkpoint or 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.