TSA intercepts loaded gun at Newark Liberty International Airport checkpoint

NEWARK, N.J. –  A Northampton County, Pa., woman was arrested by police this morning when Transportation Security Administration officers at Newark Liberty International Airport intercepted a loaded .22 caliber handgun in the woman’s purse. 

The small handgun fit into the woman’s purse, which she said she rarely uses and meant to hand it off to her husband before she and her daughter arrived at the airport for their flight, but she forgot to do so.

The TSA officer detected the handgun as the purse entered the checkpoint X-ray machine. Port Authority Police were alerted, came to the Terminal B checkpoint and arrested the woman, a resident of Hellertown, Pa. Police also escorted the woman’s daughter to the police station.

“This was a very good catch on the part of our officers to detect such a small handgun,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “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. This woman did not have a permit to carry the firearm. With that said, even individuals with a permit are not permitted to carry their firearm through a checkpoint. Our officers are good at their jobs and even with sky-high checkpoint volume, they continue to remain vigilant in screening individuals who are arriving at our checkpoints. I commend our officers on their good catch in preventing an individual from boarding a plane with a loaded firearm.”

In addition to her arrest, the woman also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a security checkpoint. The penalty for bringing a weapon to a TSA checkpoint can cost as much as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and firearm parts with them at a checkpoint. This applies to individuals 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 firearm is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

“Travelers need to pay more attention to the items that they have inside their carry-on bags,” Carter said. “Travelers are responsible for the contents of their carry-on bags. In addition, responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times and they know not to bring them to a security checkpoint.”

TSA firearms catches at airport checkpoints at Newark Liberty International Airport, 2018 to 2024

Guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. The airline will be sure that the gun travels with checked baggage in the belly of the plane, never in the cabin of the plane. Additionally, replica firearms also are prohibited in carry-on baggage and also must be transported in checked luggage.

TSA reminds people to always know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint. TSA has multiple resources available to help 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.