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Last December, another Florida man accidentally helped the Transportation Security Administration officers at Harrisburg International Airport set the record for most guns found in a year, with 10 guns.
This year a Florida man is inching the TSA closer to that record, as the loaded gun found by officers at the x-ray machine is the 8th found at HIA in 2023.
This is the second-highest number at HIA in the 22-year history of the TSA, according to the release.
The man had the Springfield Academy .38 caliber gun (pictured) loaded with seven bullets when he was stopped by officers.
He "claimed that he forgot that he had his loaded gun with him," as stated in the TSA release.
The TSA’s Federal Security Director for HIA Karen Keys-Turner said the following in part:
"Our TSA officers work during the holiday travel period so that others may travel to visit family and friends [...] It’s absolutely unforgivable to bring a firearm to a security checkpoint."“This individual told us he forgot that he had a loaded gun with him. That’s irresponsible. Responsible gun owners do not bring their guns to a checkpoint because they know the proper way to pack a firearm for a flight. This individual carelessly introduced an unnecessary risk into the airport environment and as a result he will face a stiff Federal financial penalty that will likely cost him thousands of dollars.”
This Florida man faces a fine up to $15,000, Keys-Turner explained.
He is not alone in his failing to properly check his gun and facing the same hefty fine; a McMurray resident also brought a.38 caliber gun loaded with six bullets to Pittsburgh International Airport on Christmas.
That gun brought the total stopped by TSA at PIT to 44 — a new record.
Travelers are allowed to transport their firearms as checked baggage if they are properly packed and declared at their airline ticket counter to be transported in the belly of the plane, you can learn more about the TSA policies for traveling with a firearm here.
Across the country, TSA officers detected 6,542 firearms on passengers or their carry-on bags at checkpoints in 2022 — a new national record.
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