ARLINGTON, Va. — A woman trying to bring an unloaded handgun onto a plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) was stopped by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents Sunday.
The passenger, from Tennessee, was going through a security checkpoint at DCA when the X-ray machines spotted a .380 caliber gun and 20 bullets in a bag being scanned. The gun was seized by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Police and the woman was cited on a weapons charge. The penalty for packing weapons in carry-on luggage is up to $15,000.
“Bringing a loaded gun to an airport security checkpoint introduces unnecessary risks and delays fellow travelers,” said John Busch, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Spring break travel is upon us and this is a very busy time of year at the airport. Responsible gun owners know where their guns are at all times and they know not to bring them to an airport security checkpoint. Our TSA officers remain vigilant during this busy travel season to help ensure everyone can travel safely.”
Unloaded guns can be brought on air travel, but must be properly stored in a locked hard-sided container and must always be in checked bags, only. For more information on traveling with firearms and ammunition, visit the TSA's website.
So far in 2024, eight guns have been found by TSA agents at DCA. Nationwide, in 2023, 6,735 firearms were discovered at security checkpoints, and 93% of those were loaded.
Firearms caught at TSA checkpoints at DCA:
- 2018: 16
- 2019: 14
- 2020: 10
- 2021: 30
- 2022: 29
- 2023: 39
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