A Florida woman was arrested by police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers intercepted a handgun tucked into the woman’s purse at a security checkpoint at LaGuardia Airport on Monday, September 2.
When the purse was identified by TSA as possibly containing a firearm, it was automatically diverted to a different conveyor belt to be held for law enforcement to remove and inspect. When the .32 caliber handgun was removed from the purse, it was determined to be loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber.
The woman told officials that her husband has a concealed carry permit in another state and that he drove to New York and later placed the gun in her purse without her knowledge.
The police arrested the woman and charged her with weapons violations. In addition to being arrested, the woman also faces a stiff financial civil penalty. Civil penalties for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
It was the eighth firearm that TSA officers have detected at the airport checkpoints so far this year.
“Travelers are responsible for the contents of their carry-on bags, which is why we strongly advise travelers to pack their own bags to ensure that they have no prohibited or illegal items inside,” said Robert Duffy, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “It does not matter to us if someone has a concealed carry permit because regardless of that fact, it is never permissible to carry a firearm into the cabin of a plane. Here we are just days away from the 23rd anniversary marking the terrorist attacks of 9/11 on our nation. It should be obvious to everyone that weapons are not allowed through our security checkpoints.”