Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Harrisburg International Airport intercepted a loaded gun at the security checkpoint on, Monday, December 16. The 9mm handgun was loaded with 13 bullets.
“Let this be an important reminder to firearm owners that they should not bring their guns to our checkpoints,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania. “Don’t be that guy!”
When TSA officers detected the gun, the checkpoint lane came to a halt until the police responded and removed the carry-on bag from the X-ray machine and removed the handgun. Police cited the man on a weapons charge and then allowed the man, a resident of Lancaster, Pa., to return the firearm to his vehicle.
It was the fourth firearm that TSA officers have intercepted at the airport checkpoint so far this year.
Spero explained that the proper way to transport a firearm for a flight is to ensure it is unloaded; packed in a hard-sided locked case; and taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will make sure that the firearm is transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during the flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
The original announcement can be found here.