Guns at airport: Record attempts to 'carry on'

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TSA reports 46 guns have been seized at RSW

Mark H. Bickel

Fort Myers News-Press USA TODAY NETWORK – FLORIDA

An alarming number of guns are being confiscated at checkpoints at Florida airports by the Transportation Security Administration.

In fact, with less than two weeks remaining in 2022, the TSA said this has already been a record-breaking year for travelers in Florida (and the U.S.) who attempt to board a plane with a gun in their carry-on bag.

This includes Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers. As of Monday (Dec. 19) the TSA reports 46 guns have been seized by security at the airport which set an all-time single-month passengers record in March of this year.

“I think a lot of people are just trying to see if they get by and hope that they miss the firearms,” said Dr. David Thom-

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as, a forensics and criminal justice professor at Florida Gulf Coast University. “We live in a gun culture and people are going to try.”

Eleven other Florida airports have set records this year, including nearby Punta Gorda Airport (PGA) with 10 guns and Sarasota Bradenton International (SRQ), which had 13 guns taken as of Nov. 3 when the TSA issued an update for 2022.

On Nov. 3 the TSA said more than 700 guns had been intercepted at checkpoints and “nearly every one of these guns was loaded and most had ammunition chambered.” As of Monday, that number had grown statewide and at RSW, which saw its total go from 37 to 46.

“Unfortunately the number across Florida is now more than 800,” said TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz in an email.

Safety of all travelers is the big concern.

“An accidental discharge could result in tragedy,” Koshetz said in the Nov. 3 press release. “Every passenger bares the responsibility of knowing exactly where their gun is before entering the security checkpoint.”

What happens if you are caught with a gun at a TSA security checkpoint?

Firearms are never allowed in carryon bags at any TSA security checkpoint, even if a passenger has a concealed weapon permit.

Getting caught with a firearm at an airport checkpoint carries a civil fine of $1,500, according to the TSA. If the gun is loaded, then the fine jumps to $3,000. For repeat offenders, the TSA is increasing the maximum potential penalty from $14,000 to $14,950.

If the traveler is in the TSA PreCheck program, those privileges will be lost for a period of time, possibly permanently.

“As we enter the busiest holiday travel period, remember if you are going to travel with your gun it must be in your checked bag, but be sure you know what the gun laws are on each side of your trip or you may be heading to jail instead of to your family gathering,” Koshetz said. “Guns may not be legal to transport even in checked baggage in some jurisdictions.”

“The process is easy,” Thomas said. “Every airline will tell you exactly what you need to do in order to carry a gun in your (checked-in) luggage. It's a process.”

Thomas said the process includes making sure the gun and the ammunition are packed separately in their own locked boxes.

Not surprisingly, when it comes to travel and move things along in an efficient way at the security checkpoint, the TSA lists “no guns in carry-ons” as its No. 1 tip: Firearms must be in checked baggage. All firearms must be properly packed and declared to the airline at check-in, which means unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided case. Contact your airline for additional guidance. And it is your responsibility to know what the gun laws are on both sides of your trip.

What about the rest of the Sunshine State and the rest of the U.S.?

According to the TSA, Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood International (FLL), Tampa International (TPA) and Orlando International (MCO) are typically in the top 10 or 11 airports across the country annually for passengers violating federal law by bringing guns to the TSA checkpoints.

Those three airports lead the state again in gun seizures with more than 100 guns seized at checkpoints.

As of Dec. 16 TSA officers in the U.S. have intercepted a record 6,301 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2022, according to the agency. The TSA estimates a total of 6,600 firearms will be found in carry-on bags by the end of the year. That would be about a 10% increase over 2021's previous record of 5,972 firearms and more than a 400% spike compared to a decade ago.

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Record 6,542 guns intercepted at US airport security in 2022

ATLANTA (AP) — The woman flying out of Philadelphia’s airport last year remembered to pack snacks, prescription medicine and a cellphone in her handbag. But what was more important was what she forgot to unpack: a loaded .380-caliber handgun in a black holster.

https://apnews.com/article/politics-transportation-security-administration-philadelphia-airport-c68de51fe36a39c544e030a92b9602cb

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Ex-Rep. Cawthorn fined after guilty plea over gun at airport

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Former North Carolina U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn pleaded guilty Friday to a misdemeanor after his loaded gun was found last year in his carry-on luggage at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-cawthorn-gun-airport-0d9ae4a2146fb77bb9b8e247ef26cd95?

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✈️ Stunning airport stat

Data: TSA. (Loaded firearms estimated from percentages provided by TSA.) Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals A record 6,737 guns were discovered at airport security checkpoints in 2023. About 93% (!) of the weapons were loaded, Axios' Ivana Saric reports from a TSA announcement. 2023 was the third consecutive year a record was set.