TSA officers at Reagan National Airport intercepted this loaded gun at a security checkpoint on Feb. 10.(TSA photo)
ARLINGTON, Va. – A Bowie, Md., man was cited by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport intercepted a firearm at one of the airport checkpoints yesterday, Feb. 10. The 9mm handgun was in the man’s carry-on bag and was loaded with 17 bullets, including one in the chamber.
When TSA officers detected the gun via X-ray at the checkpoint, the Washington Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police were notified and confiscated the weapon. He was also issued a criminal citation.
The man told officials that the firearm is required for his job and that he forgot to remove it from his carry-on bag when he came to the airport.
Guns are not permitted through the security checkpoint and travelers face a stiff financial civil penalty from TSA if they bring a gun to a checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
“Travelers need to have a full understanding of the contents of their carry-on bags,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “It is a best practice to empty your carry-on bag before you start to pack it so that you know with certainty that there is nothing illegal or prohibited that you may have inside.”
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
TSA firearms caught at TSA checkpoints at Reagan National Airport, 2018 to 2025
| Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (As of 2/10/25) |
| Guns caught at the Reagan National Airport checkpoints | 16 | 14 | 10 | 30 | 29 | 39 | 41 | 4 |
Bringing a firearm 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).