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The incident happened on Tuesday, May 30, when a Hamilton County man from Long Lake entered the security checkpoint at Westchester County Airport and was found to be in possession of a .380 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets in his carry-on bag, according to TSA Northeast spokesperson Lisa Farbstein.
The man was also found to be carrying multiple credit cards each with a different name on them, Farbstein said. He was later arrested on weapons charges by Westchester County Police, who also confiscated the gun and credit cards.
In addition to his charges, the man also faces a civil penalty as high as $15,000 for bringing a gun to a TSA checkpoint.
The incident marks the fourth time that a gun has been detected by TSA officers at the airport since the beginning of 2023.
The airport's Federal Security Director, Robert Duffy, said that these incidents can slow down the security process for other travelers.
"We are currently experiencing extremely high passenger volume nationwide and bringing prohibited or illegal items to our security checkpoints slows down the checkpoint line,” Duffy said.
He added, "Our officers are good at their jobs and are staying vigilant to keep all travelers safe and secure. Airports are congested, people are eager to travel and this is no time to be carrying a firearm in a carry-on bag, because it presents a significant security risk."
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