This loaded firearm was detected by TSA officers at Washington Dulles International Airport on August 5. (TSA photo)
DULLES, Va. – A Falls Church, Va., man was cited by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) intercepted a firearm among the man’s carry-on items on Monday, August 5. The .38 caliber handgun was loaded with five bullets.
The revolver was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint and the X-ray unit alerted on his carry-on bag. TSA officers identified the firearm inside the man’s carry-on bag and notified the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police who confiscated the firearm and cited the traveler on a weapons charge.
“Travelers are responsible for the contents of their carry-on bags, so it is vitally important to know that you do not have anything illegal or prohibited inside,” said Scott T. Johnson, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “To help ensure that there is nothing inside, it is a best practice to start with an empty bag. For example, if you don’t know what you may have thrown in your duffle bag last week, empty it completely and start to pack it from scratch before heading to the airport.”
Johnson praised the TSA officers for their recent gun catch. “This summer continues to be one of the busiest on record and I commend our officers for remaining focused on the mission during this busy time.”
In addition to the citation by airport police, this individual now faces a stiff financial civil penalty. Civil penalties for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000. This even applies to travelers with concealed carry permits or are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
In the first six months of the year, TSA officers have intercepted 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints nationwide, of which 94 percent were loaded.
Firearms caught by TSA at Washington Dulles International National Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2024
|
Year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 (as of 8/5/24) |
|
Guns caught at Washington Dulles International Airport checkpoints |
24 |
19 |
17 |
19 |
7 |
19 |
25 |
24 |
15 |
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint 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 passengers 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).