BWI airport has record number of guns caught at TSA checkpoint in a year
BALTIMORE -- A record number of guns have been caught at the TSA checkpoint in a year at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after a loaded handgun was found on Monday.
So far this year, 36 guns have been caught at the airport's checkpoint, which surpasses last year's total of 35.
"It's shocking to see that we have already surpassed the previous high number of guns caught and we are still in early October," said Grant Goodlett, TSA's Deputy Federal Security Director for Maryland. "Our TSA team here in Baltimore is good at what they do and they are remaining vigilant in helping to ensure that no illegal or prohibited items are carried onto a flight. There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a gun to our checkpoints because you certainly can't carry it onto your flight."
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case.
Then, the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
According to TSA, bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty because TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint.
Civil penalties for bringing a gun into a checkpoint can stretch into thousands of dollars, depending on mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.
The complete list of civil penalties is posted online.
When a gun is detected in the checkpoint X-ray unit, the conveyor belt is stopped and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police are notified. Police remove the carry-on bag from the X-ray unit because TSA does not want its officers handling firearms.
Police determine whether a traveler is arrested or issued a criminal citation. Meanwhile the remaining passengers in the checkpoint lane either wait for the issue to be resolved or they are shifted to another checkpoint lane, thus delaying dozens of passengers from getting to their gates.
