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Officials say that officers at the airport were able to stop the passenger early on Thursday, March 9, when it was discovered he was in possession of a 9mm handgun that was loaded with 15 bullets.
The weapon was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint at Reagan National Airport.
An X-ray unit alerted officers to the gun, which was recovered by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police who confiscated the gun and arrested the individual on a weapons charge and released him on a summons.
According to the man, he told investigators that he forgot he had his gun with him in his carry-on bag. It would have been permitted had it been unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case.
In addition to the citation from airport police, the man also faces a stiff civil penalty, with a maximum fine of up to $15,000.
The latest gun bust at Reagan National Airport continues an alarming trend that has seen more and more weapons confiscated by members of the TSA.
As recently as 2020, there were just 10 guns seized by airport police in the full year, which spiked to 30 the following year and 29 in 2022. As of March 9 this year, there have already been nine weapons recovered from travelers.
Following the latest incident, TSA Federal Security Director John Busch reminded travelers that gun are not permitted through any airport security checkpoint.
“Our officers are well-trained and vigilant and this is the ninth handgun that they have prevented from getting onto a flight here at Reagan National Airport so far this year,” he said. “Hopefully this will be a strong reminder to others not to bring their guns to our checkpoints.
“Traveling with a loaded gun that you don’t even know you are carrying is a public safety concern, considering that the bag could be misplaced or the firearm could accidentally be discharged during a bag search,” Busch continued. “We are happy to make sure that firearms travel with their owners as long as the guns are unloaded and packed properly.”
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