Officers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have discovered 11 firearms during routine X-ray screening of travelers’ carry-on luggage at airports in the Los Angeles area during the first half of May. This compares to three firearm discoveries during the first half of May last year.
The most recent firearm find was last Wednesday around 2:20 p.m. at Long Beach Airport (LGB) when TSA officers discovered a loaded Colt .45 firearm with seven rounds of ammunition in the carry-on bag of a male passenger ticketed for travel to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Last Tuesday around 1 p.m., TSA officers at LGB discovered a loaded .357 caliber Glock firearm in a male traveler’s carry-on along with nine rounds of ammunition. In both instances, TSA notified Long Beach Police Department officers who responded to the checkpoint and cited the travelers on a state charges. Each passenger received enhanced security screening before being allowed to continue on their travels.
Also last Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., TSA officers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) discovered a loaded 9mm Sig Sauer P320 pistol with 10 rounds of ammunition in the carry-on bag of a traveler ticketed for travel to Paris, France. Los Angeles World Airports Police responded to the security checkpoint and arrested the traveler on a state charge. The individual received enhanced screening and was allowed to continue to his flight.
“The surge in firearm discoveries in carry-on luggage in the Los Angeles area this month is troubling. Travelers must pay more attention to the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the airport,” said TSA Federal Security Director in Los Angeles Jason Pantages. “I am grateful that TSA officers are preventing firearms and other security threats from making it into the cabin of an aircraft. Please do your part to stop this trend of firearms coming to the security checkpoint. One way to do that is to always start by packing an empty bag.”