A Virginia Beach man was stopped at the Norfolk International Airport checkpoint with this firearm. (TSA photo)
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach, Va., man was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Norfolk International Airport intercepted his 9mm handgun at the airport security checkpoint on Sunday, October 27.
The firearm was removed from the checkpoint and confiscated by the Norfolk Airport Authority Police, who arrested the man. TSA does not confiscate firearms; law enforcement officers do. The case will be forwarded to the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney for possible criminal prosecution.
“Unfortunately, we continue to see travelers bringing their firearms to our checkpoints,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Everyone should know that you cannot carry a firearm or any other weapon on a plane. This individual may have placed his gun in a case, but it was not properly declared at his airline check-in counter for the airline to transport it in the belly of the aircraft. Instead, he tried to carry it through the checkpoint and onto his flight. TSA regulations do not allow undeclared firearms to be carried on an aircraft in either the cabin or in the checked baggage hold of the aircraft. My advice is that you should never bring a gun to a checkpoint.”
This individual should have placed his gun in a locked case, properly declared at his airline check-in counter and the airline would have been able to transport the firearm in the belly of the aircraft. Instead, he tried to carry it through the checkpoint and onto his flight.
In addition to being arrested by police, the man also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
Firearms caught by TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2024
Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 As of 10/27/24 |
Guns caught at Norfolk International Airport (ORF) checkpoints |
14 |
10 |
21 |
15 |
12 |
23 |
27 |
29 |
33 |
Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and gun owners have a duty to ensure they are not violating any local firearm laws. Additionally, contacting the respective airline could reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
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. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. 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.
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).