Ohio man caught with loaded gun by TSA at Pittsburgh Airport checkpoint on busiest day in TSA history

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Lima, Ohio, man was prevented from bringing his loaded handgun onto his flight on Friday, June 30, when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Pittsburgh International Airport detected the handgun in the man’s carry-on backpack on what was a record-setting day nationwide as travelers were flying ahead of the Independence Day holiday.

When the TSA officer spotted the 9mm gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine, airport police were alerted, came to the checkpoint and confiscated the weapon before arresting him. The man also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty. Federal penalties for bringing weapons to the checkpoint can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.

TSA officers screened 2,884,683 travelers across the country on Friday, marking the highest checkpoint volume since TSA’s inception.

“Summer has been extremely busy and Friday was the busiest day ever in TSA’s 21-year history,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Our officers are doing a tremendous job staying vigilant while screening travelers during this peak period. It was the sixth gun our officers detected during June. Carrying firearms to security checkpoints slows down the security lines for everyone. If you’re flying this summer, it is vitally important to know that the items you have in your carry-on bag are allowed through our security checkpoints. My best advice is that when you’re ready to pack, start with an empty bag so you know with certainty what you’ve got inside and you know that there is nothing prohibited in a side pocket, zippered pouch or just in the bottom of your bag. That goes for backpacks, roller bags, handbags, messenger bags and duffle bags,” she added.

“I urge travelers to take a few moments before they come to the airport to refresh their familiarity with the proper procedures on how to pack a gun for a flight. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this,” she said.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.

Firearms are not permitted through a security checkpoint because passengers should not have access to a firearm during a flight. This even applies to travelers with concealed carry permits or are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program, who will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges if they bring a gun to a checkpoint. Individuals who bring their gun to a security checkpoint also face a federal financial civil penalty.

Friday’s gun was the 21st firearm caught at the airport checkpoint this calendar year. Nationwide, TSA has prevented more than 3,000 guns from getting through security checkpoints so far this year. Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight

TSA firearms catches at airport checkpoints at Pittsburgh International Airport, 2017 to 2023

Year

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

(as of 7/2/23)

Pittsburgh International Airport

32

34

35

21

32

26

21

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. The complete list of civil penalties is posted online. Additionally, if a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck®, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges.

Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality and passengers should do their homework to make sure that they are not violating any local firearm laws. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA. Travelers may send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).