Amid criticism over failed undercover tests, TSA finding more firearms than ever
A Southwest Airlines pilot may be charged after a loaded gun was found in his carry-on bag at St. Louis airport. TSA screeners nationwide are finding more firearms than ever. On Capitol Hill, the agency faces criticism for its poor performance in undercover tests.
Guns, usually loaded, are being found in carry-on bags at checkpoints at a rate of nearly 12 a day, reports CBS News' Kris Van Cleave. The most common explanation people give? I forgot the gun was in there.
TSA screeners at St. Louis's Lambert International Airport spotted a loaded 9 millimeter Smith and Wesson in the carry-on of a Southwest Airlines first officer who had planned to board a flight to Vegas. The 51-year-old pilot was arrested and the airport says charges are pending.
The TSA's Instagram is full of pictures of guns found at checkpoints. So far this year, officers have stopped more than 3,700 from getting through, up about 10 percent from all of last year and the numbers have been rising for a decade.
This latest incident comes as the TSA is under fire for missing at least 70 percent of prohibited items brought through checkpoints during undercover testing earlier this year.
"This is hair on fire," said Florida Sen. Bill Nelson.
The testing is done every two years. In 2015, the TSA failed 95 percent of the time.
"I'm just amazed that a terrorist has not come through a checkpoint and done some very bad things on an airplane," Nelson said.
Department of Homeland Security Inspector General John Roth appeared before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday.
"We found deficiencies in the equipment, we found deficiencies in the personnel and we found deficiencies in the process by which they interacted with the equipment," Roth said.
The Inspector General's office has seen some improvement from the TSA and believes the agency is working to adopt eight new classified recommendations. Some of those likely deal with implementing better equipment and continuing to improve training.
Southwest Airlines said in a statement it is working with authorities to gather information on the pilot at St. Louis airport.