TSA intercepted 53 guns at MSP Airport in 2023, rate below national average
MINNEAPOLIS — Officers at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints intercepted 53 guns at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in 2023.
It's a decrease from the 58 guns that were detected in 2022. Post-2020, TSA has detected at least 50 guns a year at MSP.
Nationwide, TSA stopped 6,737 guns at airports, of which 93% were loaded. TSA Administrator David Pekoske said is was a "concerning" figure, considering that the number surpassed the previous year's record of 6,542 guns.
"Responsible gun owners know where their guns are and they know not to bring them to a checkpoint," said Minnesota TSA Federal Security Director Marty Robinson. "Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is a careless, dangerous mistake that passengers can easily avoid."
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TSA screened 858 million people nationwide in 2023, which means the agency intercepted 7.8 firearms per million passengers. Most of the guns were discovered at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
At MSP, passengers brought guns to the airport at rates below the national average. TSA screened roughly 13.4 million passengers at MSP, stopping roughly 3.9 firearms per million people.
Guns and ammunition are prohibited on carry-on bags, and the fine for violating the mandate can run up to $10,700. If a passenger brings a gun through TSA a second time, civil penalties can cost up to $14,950.