TSA at Richmond International Airport seeing notable increase in travelers bringing firearms to checkpoints

RICHMOND, Va. – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Richmond International Airport (RIC) are on pace to set a record for the most firearms intercepted at the checkpoint in a single year. With a little more than six months remaining in 2024 they have already surpassed the number of firearms caught last year.

In 2023, TSA officers detected 17 firearms at RIC checkpoints. This year they matched that total on June 8, and surpassed it the very next day, on June 9, when the 18th firearm was detected.

“We are seeing far too many firearms at our checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them that are loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Richmond International Airport. 

“Honestly, it’s disappointing to see so many people bring their loaded guns to our checkpoints,” Burke added. “So far 89 percent of the firearms that our officers have intercepted this year have been loaded. When we stop the travelers with firearms most claim that they forgot that they had their loaded gun with them. Responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times. That’s an important part of being a responsible gun owner,” he said.

Firearms and ammunition are strictly prohibited in carry-on baggage.  

“The thing is, passengers may transport their firearms for a flight if packed properly,” Burke explained. To do so, the gun must be unloaded, placed in a hard-sided case and then locked inside the case. Next, it should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will ask that a small card be filled out and then the airline will make sure that the firearm is transported in the belly of the plane where nobody has access to it during a flight. “It’s a simple process,” he added.

When a firearm is detected at a security checkpoint, TSA officers immediately stop the checkpoint conveyor belt. The lane comes to a standstill. Officers contact local law enforcement, who come to the checkpoint, remove the carry-on bag from the X-ray unit and then remove the passenger and the carry-on bag containing the firearm from the checkpoint area.

Typically, the police seize the guns caught at checkpoints and they may arrest or criminally cite the traveler. TSA does not confiscate firearms.

In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, TSA may issue a financial civil fine to passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint. The civil penalty for bringing weapons to checkpoints can go as high as $15,000.

If the traveler caught with a firearm is enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, they are removed from TSA PreCheck eligibility and are flagged to receive enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present.

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? We can certainly help you with that information before you leave home.

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).

Firearms caught by TSA officers at Richmond International Airport checkpoints, 2018 to 2024

In 2023, TSA officers across the country intercepted a total of 6,737 guns at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport and onboard aircraft. This total surpassed the previous year’s record of 6,542 firearms stopped at checkpoints in 2022 and represented the highest one-year total in TSA’s history. Ninety-three percent of guns caught nationwide were loaded. TSA expects to continue to see an increase in national gun numbers in 2024. This is not the type of record that TSA is looking to set. TSA would much rather see fewer travelers bring their guns to checkpoints.