Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Pittsburgh International Airport intercepted a loaded firearm at the main security checkpoint on Friday, July 19. The .45 caliber handgun was loaded with 10 bullets in the carry-on bag of a man from Kansas.
“I don’t know how many times we have to continue to remind firearm owners that they should not bring their guns to our checkpoints, but what I can tell you is that we will continue to do so while educating travelers on the proper way a firearm needs to be packed for transport on a flight,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport.
When TSA officers detected the firearm, the checkpoint lane came to a halt until the police responded and removed the carry-on bag from the X-ray machine. Police confiscated the firearm and cited the man on a weapons charge. Meanwhile, other travelers who were in line were forced to wait until the incident was cleared, delaying them from getting through the checkpoint and to their gate during the peak travel time of the day.
“Travelers need to pay much closer attention to the items that they have inside their carry-on bags,” said Keys-Turner. “Passengers are responsible for the contents of their carry-on bags. This traveler can expect that TSA will issue him a costly Federal civil penalty.”