ARLINGTON, Va. (WFXR)—A Lynchburg man was stopped by TSA officers at the Ronald Regan Washington National Airport for allegedly bringing a loaded handgun in his carry-on Sunday, Nov. 19.
According to TSA, the allegedly loaded 9mm gun was caught as the man was going through security. The X-ray unit alerted TSA to look inside the carry-on bag. The Metropolitan Washington Airport’s Police allegedly confiscated the gun and cited the man on a weapons charge.
The man says he allegedly keeps his firearm in his work backpack and forgot that he had it with him.
Guns are not permitted through security and now the man faces a stiff financial civil penalty from TSA. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.
TSA says it was the 32nd gun that officers have detected at Ronald Regan so far this year. This marks the most guns caught in a single year and follows a national trend seeing a spike in the number of travelers who are brining guns to airport checkpoints across the country.
TSA reminds passengers that they are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms mist be unloaded then pack in a hard-sided case. The locked case should then be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
