TSA officers stop two more weapons at RIC
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Transportation Security Administration officials stopped two more weapons at the security checkpoint at Richmond International Airport last weekend, bringing to 18 the total number of times they've done so this year – a number that exceeds the total from all of 2023, when 17 weapons were stopped.
TSA officers stopped a Florida man with a 9mm handgun loaded with 10 bullets June 8, then on the following day, a 9mm firearm and 16 accessible bullets in two gun magazines were found in a Rockville, Virginia, man's possession. Both men were cited by police, who confiscated the weapons.
The alarmingly high number of occurrences this year at the airport prompted TSA and airport officials to hold a press conference June 18 in an attempt to remind travelers to be more careful when packing for trips.
Firearms and ammunition are prohibited in carry-on baggage but may be included with checked baggage. Guns must be unloaded, placed in a hard-sided case and then locked inside the case, then taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will ask that a small card be filled out and then will make sure that the firearm is transported in the belly of the plane where no one has access to it during a flight.
“It is disappointing to continue to see travelers bringing their firearms to our checkpoints instead of properly packing them for a flight,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “We are seeing far too many firearms at our checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them that are loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint. Bringing a gun to a checkpoint is careless and puts everyone at risk for a possible accident. Our officers are good at their jobs and they remain vigilant in their mission."
Most of the weapons stopped at the airport this year (89%) have been loaded, Burke said.
Passengers are responsible for researching their local gun laws before traveling. For details about how to properly travel with a firearm, visit the TSA website.
