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The .22 caliber handgun was discovered in the Mount Solon, VA man's bag after the checkpoint X-ray machine alerted officers to take a closer look on Thursday, Nov. 17, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.
The gun was loaded with four bullets, she said.
The man told officials that the gun did not belong to him and he did not know how it managed to find its way into his carry-on bag, according to Farbstein.
Police confiscated the gun and cited the man on a weapons charge.
It was the 19th gun picked off at a Washington-Dulles TSA checkpoint so far this year, officials said.
“The busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period officially gets underway today and our TSA officers are focused on our mission to continue to stop weapons from being carried through our security checkpoints,” said Scott T. Johnson, TSA Federal Security Director for the airport.
“It is important for travelers to know what can and cannot be carried through our checkpoints—especially during what is typically the busiest travel period of the year. Any prohibited item, from a firearm to an oversized liquid, that is detected in a carry-on bag slows down the checkpoint screening process for the travelers whose carry-on bags trigger an alarm for a prohibited item. Please do not be that person.”
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
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