Man busted at airport for gun loaded with 21 bullets in gym bag
A man in Philadelphia was arrested for trying to bring a loaded gun onto an airplane, the second time he has tried to do so.
The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) apprehended a man on Saturday trying to sneak a 9mm handgun through a safety checkpoint.
The gun was concealed inside his carry-on gym bag. Officers were alerted to the firearm after he placed the bag in the checkpoint’s x-ray scanner.
The TSA said the gun was loaded with 21 rounds, including one bullet in the chamber.
‘There is no excuse for bringing a gun to our checkpoints,’ said Gerardo Spero, the Federal Security Director for Philadelphia International Airport.
‘The fact that this is the second gun-related offense by one of the two individuals who was caught on Saturday is absolutely unacceptable. Getting caught one time is one thing, but not learning a lesson from that experience is just unforgivable.’
The same day, TSA officers caught another man at the same airport trying to bring a .38 caliber handgun in his carry-on bag.
TSA officers have apprehended a total of 40 people this year attempting to board airplanes with improperly stored firearms just at Philadelphia International Airport.
About 5,000 firearms have been confiscated by the TSA across the country this year.
‘It is disappointing to continue to see the frequency in which travelers are bringing their guns to our checkpoints,’ Spero said.
Attempting to carry a gun onto an airplane can lead to federal fines between $1,500 – $5,370, as well as a criminal referral to local authorities.
The fines for loaded firearms can increase up to a $10,700 penalty. Repeat offenders can be forced to pay even more, up to $14,950.
The very next day, another man was caught with a loaded handgun at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City.
Similar to the suspects in Philadelphia, this man attempted to carry a loaded 9mm handgun inside his carry-on bag. The gun was loaded with 12 rounds, and another two magazines containing 24 rounds total were found in his bags.
‘We are seeing heavy travel volume through our security checkpoints of nearly 100,000 passengers per day here at JFK International, and this is no time to be carrying prohibited or illegal items,’ said John Essig, the New York airport’s Federal Security Director. ‘A loaded gun at an airport is an accident waiting to happen.’
Another similar incident occurred on Friday, when a traveler at Chicago Midway Airport was caught trying to carry a gun and ammunition onto a plane.
Midway has reported a record-breaking 43 guns detected by TSA this year, while nearby Chicago O’Hare International Airport has confiscated a total of 59.
Firearms and ammunition can only be transported in the United States in checked baggage and declared at the ticket counter. The gun must be unloaded and locked inside a hard container.
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