Loaded Gun Found In Man's Bag At Philly International Airport

PHILADELPHIA — Transportation Security Administration officers at the Philadelphia International Airport found a loaded .45 caliber handgun among a Pennsylvania man's carry-on items recently.

According to TSA, the gun was caught July 8 and belonged to a man from Mohnton, Berks County.

TSA officers detected a firearm among the man’s carry-on items at one of the airport security checkpoints.

The .45 caliber gun was loaded with 11 bullets, including one in the chamber.

Bringing a loaded gun to an airport security checkpoint introduces an unnecessary security risk to our officers and to fellow travelers," Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport, said. "We have no issues with people who pack their firearms properly for a flight. Bringing a loaded handgun to our checkpoints isn’t the way to do it. The proper way is to pack your unloaded firearm in a locked hard-sided case. Then take the case to your airline check-in counter and declare that you want to travel with it. The airline will make sure it is transported in the belly of the plane so that nobody has access to it during the flight. It’s a fairly simple process. Instead, this individual, a resident of Mohnton, Pa., faces a federal financial civil penalty in addition to having to deal with the criminal citation issued by the police."

As of July 8, TSA has found 18 guns at Philadelphia International Airport security checkpoints.

TSA has details on how to travel with a firearm and ammunition online here. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should also contact their airline, as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to individuals who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to individuals with or without concealed gun carry permits because a concealed carry permit does not allow a firearm to be carried through a checkpoint.

The complete list of civil penalties is posted online.