Transportation Security Administration officers prevented a Brooklyn, N.Y., woman from bringing a gun onto her flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Thursday (October 31). The 9mm handgun was loaded with 10 bullets including one in the chamber.
When TSA officers intercepted the firearm, they notified the Port Authority Police who responded to the checkpoint and allowed the woman to hand off the firearm to a non-traveling companion. She faces a Federal civil penalty for bringing a loaded firearm to a TSA checkpoint. The Federal penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
“Bringing a gun to an airport security checkpoint on Halloween or at any time of the year is no joke,” said John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Loaded guns are deadly weapons and present a threat. This individual had her firearm tucked into her shoulder bag. People who own firearms need to be more cognizant of where and when they are carrying their weapon. It is no secret that guns cannot be carried onto an aircraft. If you own a firearm, it is critically important that you always know where it is, and you know that it is not among the items in your carry-on bag when you come to an airport. That is part of being a responsible gun owner.”