TSA officers detected this .45 caliber firearm along with nine rounds on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
CHARLOTTE – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped a man from carrying a loaded firearm onto an airplane at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) on Tuesday, February 27.
During Tuesday morning security screening at Charlie checkpoint, a TSA officer detected a firearm in a male passenger’s carry-on bag. TSA officers immediately alerted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) who confirmed there was a loaded .45 caliber firearm and a magazine containing a total of nine rounds in the man’s carry-on bag. During questioning, the South Carolina man stated he forgot the gun was in his bag. A CMPD trooper eventually took possession of the firearm and allowed the passenger to continue.
“For the safety of the traveling public, I strongly urge all gun owners to double check the contents of their carry-on bags and ensure they know where their firearms are before traveling to the airport,” said Beth Walker, TSA’s Federal Security Director at CLT.
TSA officers have now detected 16 firearms at CLT security screening checkpoints in 2024.
TSA Security Checkpoint Firearm Detections at CLT (2020 - 2023):
|
CODE |
AIRPORT |
2023 |
2022 |
2021 |
2020 |
|
CLT |
Charlotte Douglas International |
124 |
117 |
106 |
53 |
TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded gun into a checkpoint is $3,000 and can go as high as $15,000 depending on any 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. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.
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.