TSA: 4 Texas Airports Ranked In Top 10 Of Number Of Guns Recovered At Security Checkpoints In 2018
(CBSDFW.COM) - The Transportation Security Administration announced that 4,239 guns were recovered at security checkpoints at 249 airports across the U.S. in 2018. Four Texas airports ranked in the top 10 of guns recovered at those checkpoints last year.
TSA revealed the numbers in their review of 2018 that CBS News obtained early, which saw a seven percent increase from 2017.
The top 10 airports of guns recovered at security checkpoints include four airports based in Texas: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Love Field, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport had the highest number of guns recovered at 298. DFW Airport came in second with 219.
Houston Bush was sixth on the list with 117, which was a decrease from 2017. Austin-Bergstrom was number eight with 93 recovered, and Dallas Love Field was ninth at 89.
According to the review, the top 10 airports accounted for a third of all 4,239 guns recovered in 2018 from the 249 airports. The review also stated that 86 percent of the total guns recovered were loaded at the time, which is a record for TSA.
Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint is illegal and can result in an arrest. Although not a law enforcement agency, the TSA is able to impose civil penalties up to $13,000 per violation.
According to TSA, the number of guns recovered at security checkpoints across the U.S. has increased each year since 2008, which saw 926 gun recoveries.
Here's the list of the top 10 according to TSA:
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): 298 – an increase of 53 compared to 2017 (253 loaded)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW): 219 (193 loaded)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX): 129 (120 loaded)
- Denver International Airport (DEN): 126 (95 loaded)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO): 123 (112 loaded)
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH): 117 – a decrease of 25 firearms compared to 2017 (115 loaded)
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL): 96 (80 loaded)
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS): 93 (76 loaded)
- Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL): 89 (83 loaded)
- Nashville International Airport (BNA): 86 (80 loaded)