ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport prevented a Shawsville man from bringing his loaded gun through security on Wednesday, the TSA said. The 9 mm pistol was loaded with nine bullets.
According to the TSA, the gun was discovered as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted security to the carry-on bag, which required a closer inspection by TSA officers. Police took the gun away and confiscated it.
The man now faces a “hefty fine” for carrying a weapon to a TSA security checkpoint, the TSA said. The fine for carrying weapons can be up to $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
Passengers are permitted to carry firearms in checked baggage only. Visit the TSA website for details on properly traveling with firearms.
In 2023, TSA officers intercepted five firearms at security checkpoints at Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, matching last year’s gun seizure four months before the end of the year.
“Bringing a loaded gun to an airport security checkpoint creates an unnecessary security risk for our officers and fellow travelers,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s federal airport security director. “We have no problems with people properly packing their firearms for a flight. Bringing a loaded handgun to a security checkpoint is not the right way to go. The right way is to place the unloaded gun in a locked hard-shell case. Then you take the case to your airline’s check-in counter and explain that you plan to travel with it. The airline will arrange for it to be transported in the belly of the plane so no one has access to it during the flight. It’s a pretty simple process.”
TSA says:
Gun ownership laws vary by state and locality, and gun owners must ensure they do not violate local gun laws. Additionally, you may want to check with your airline for additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a civil penalty under federal law, as the TSA reserves the right to impose a civil penalty on travelers who carry guns and gun parts at a checkpoint. The civil penalties for bringing a gun to a checkpoint can be thousands of dollars, depending on extenuating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without a permit to carry a concealed gun, as a permit to carry a concealed firearm does not allow you to bring a firearm onto an airplane. For the full list of civil penalties, visit posted onlineIn addition, a traveler carrying a firearm who is a member of TSA PreCheck® will lose his or her TSA PreCheck privileges.
Not sure if an item belongs in your carry-on baggage, checked baggage, both, or neither? Download the free myTSA appwhich has a practical “What can I bring?” function You can enter the item here to find out if it can fly. Or ask on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSATravelers can text a question to AskTSA (275-872) with the text “Travel.”
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