RICHMOND, Va. –A Hampton, Va., man was cited by the police after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Richmond International Airport caught him with a handgun in his carry-on bag this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 28. The .380 caliber handgun was loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber.
TSA officers stopped the man when his carry-on bag triggered an alarm in the security checkpoint X-ray unit. Upon spotting the weapon, TSA officials alerted airport police, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the handgun, and cited the man on weapons violations.
“Today’s gun catch was the 24th that our officers have prevented from being carried onto a flight this year,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA Federal Security Director for the airport. “It is the most firearms that have been brought to our checkpoints in a single year and with just a few days left in the calendar year, I hope it is the last we see for a long time. Our officers are good at their jobs and remain vigilant during the holiday season and beyond. Guns are not permitted through a security checkpoint. This applies to travelers with concealed carry permits as well as individuals who are enrolled in the TSA PreCheck® program. The financial penalty for bringing a gun or other weapon to a security checkpoint recently increased to $15,000. It’s a very expensive mistake to make.”
TSA
