TSA officers stopped a man with this handgun at a JFK Airport security checkpoint on June 21. (TSA photo)
NEW YORK – A Texas man was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport detected a loaded firearm among the man’s carry-on items on Friday, June 21. It was the sixth firearm that TSA officers have detected at the airport checkpoints so far this year.
The 9mm gun was loaded with nine bullets and was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted on the items in his carry-on bag. TSA officials notified the Port Authority Police who confiscated the gun and arrested the man on a weapons charge. TSA does not confiscate guns, police do.
In addition to being arrested, this individual also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty. Civil penalties for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
“The busy summer travel season is in full swing and it is extremely busy at our checkpoints. When individuals bring their firearms to our checkpoints, it represents a risk to everyone in the area and slows down the checkpoint screening process for everyone,” said John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times and they know not to bring them to a security checkpoint. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared,” he explained.
“What’s important to know is that our officers are good at their jobs and even with sky-high checkpoint volume, they remain alert and vigilant in screening individuals who are arriving at our checkpoints,” Essig continued. “I commend our officers on their good catch in preventing an individual from boarding a plane with a loaded firearm.”
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint also carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers 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. 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.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and individuals who want to travel with their gun should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? 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).