MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Slippery Rock man was stopped with a loaded gun by Transportation Security Administration officers at Pittsburgh International Airport Monday morning.
The 9mm handgun was on the man’s carry-on bag and was spotted in the checkpoint X-ray machine, the TSA says.
Airport police confiscated the weapon and the man now faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty.
TSA says federal penalties for bringing weapons to the checkpoint can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
“The frequency in the number of travelers bringing guns to our checkpoints is alarming,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Our officers are doing a tremendous job staying vigilant while screening travelers during this peak summer travel period. This was the 23rd gun we have stopped here at Pittsburgh so far this year. Nationwide our TSA officers have prevented more than 3,000 guns from being carried onto flights. Remember, carrying firearms to security checkpoints slows down the security lines for everyone. If you’re flying this summer—or any time of the year--it is vitally important to know that the items you have in your carry-on bag are allowed through our security checkpoints.”
Click here for more details from the TSA on how to properly travel with a firearm.
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