TSA intercepts loaded handgun found in flight crew member's carry-on at DC-area airport

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers astatine Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport successful Arlington, Virginia, cited a subordinate of an hose formation unit connected Friday, aft they were recovered to beryllium successful possession of a loaded handgun astatine 1 of the airport’s checkpoints.

The TSA said successful a quality merchandise that the pistillate formation unit member, who has not been named, was carrying a 9 mm pistol that was loaded with 9 bullets, including 1 successful the chamber.

Once TSA officers came crossed the firearm, they instantly notified constabulary from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (WMAA), who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the firearm and issued a citation to the woman.

TSA besides told the unnamed hose astir the matter.

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TSA officers astatine Reagan National Airport successful Arlington, Va., intercepted a loaded 9 mm pistol from a formation unit member's transportation connected astatine a checkpoint. (TSA)

The pistillate present faces a national civilian punishment for taking a loaded firearm to a TSA checkpoint, which tin transportation a maximum good of $15,000.

"This was a bully drawback connected the portion of our TSA officers arsenic it addressed a imaginable insider menace situation," John Busch, the TSA national information manager for the airdrome said. 

"Individuals who enactment connected the unafraid broadside of airports and connected committee aircraft, whether they are members of the formation crew, enactment astatine retail shops, enactment for airlines, oregon are contractors of a institution that does concern astatine the airport, are not allowed to bring prohibited items onto the unafraid broadside of the airdrome oregon onto a flight, particularly firearms. We are ever connected alert for immoderate employees who whitethorn person imaginable atrocious intentions which could perchance correspond a menace to aviation security."

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Travelers marque their mode done Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport successful Arlington, Va. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

While it is lawful to question with a firearm, the TSA provides details connected its website connected however to decently question with a firearm. In particular, the TSA says the firearm indispensable beryllium unloaded, packed wrong a locked hard-sided lawsuit and declared astatine the hose antagonistic truthful it tin beryllium placed successful the belly of the craft on with checked baggage.

So acold this year, arsenic of Nov. 17, 2024, TSA officers person intercepted 36 firearms astatine Reagan National Airport checkpoints.

Last year, officers intercepted 39 firearms astatine the airport’s TSA checkpoints, and the twelvemonth earlier determination were 29 firearms intercepted.

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The TSA said bringing a firearm to an airdrome carries a national civilian punishment due to the fact that TSA has the close to contented civilian penalties to travelers with guns and weapon parts astatine a checkpoint. 

The civilian penalties for specified actions tin scope into the thousands of dollars, depending connected the circumstances.