Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Pittsburgh International Airport intercepted a teal-colored handgun at the main security checkpoint on Sunday, October 6. The 9mm firearm, which was not loaded, was detected inside the woman’s purse.
When TSA officers detected the firearm, the checkpoint lane came to a halt until the police responded and removed the woman’s purse from the X-ray machine. Police confiscated the firearm, which belonged to a woman from Ligonier, Pa. 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.
“This individual told us that she is in the process of moving residences and that she forgot that she placed the gun in her purse,” said Donald Weston, TSA’s Acting Federal Security Director for the airport. “Forgetting where you placed your gun is no excuse. Responsible owners of a firearm always know where their gun is. If you must travel with your firearm, the proper way to do it is to make sure it’s unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case and taken to the airline check-in counter. The airline will ensure it is transported in the belly of the aircraft.” TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
Bringing a gun 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 weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. This also applies to travelers who are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint.