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.