Fredericksburg man stopped at RIC checkpoint with loaded gun
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Transportation Security Administration officers at Richmond International Airport prevented a Fredericksburg man from carrying a .25-caliber handgun loaded with seven bullets onto his flight Aug. 12. The gun was detected in the x-ray machine among the traveler’s carry-on items at the security checkpoint.
It was the 11th weapon stopped at a checkpoint at the airport so far this year, following 22 occurrences in 2020.
TSA alerted police, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the handgun and issued the man a citation. In addition to being cited by the police, he also faces a significant federal financial civil penalty for bringing a loaded gun to an airport security checkpoint.
“It’s been well publicized that we are seeing a spike in unruly passengers on board flights, and gun owners need to know that we mean business when we detect a gun at a checkpoint,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “The last thing that passengers in commercial aviation need is to have someone with a loaded gun on a flight. We take it extremely seriously when our officers stop a traveler with a gun or any other weapon such as knives, tasers etc., at a checkpoint. Guns, are just not to be carried onto flights.
“It’s very concerning that we’re seeing passengers fighting with flight attendants and fellow travelers. Throw a weapon of any type into the picture and there’s no telling what the outcome could be. There will be a very stiff federal financial penalty handed down on top of any criminal charges that the police impose when weapons are detected.”
Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. Those apply to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck program, he or she will lose those TSA PreCheck privileges.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers also should contact their airlines, which may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
