Monroeville Man Brings Loaded Gun To Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) - A man from Monroeville was detained by Westmoreland County Police after bringing a loaded gun to the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE) in Latrobe on Thursday. TSA officials detected the 9 mm caliber gun in the man's carry-on bag and contacted Westmoreland County Police.
Police officers questioned the man before allowing him to return the gun to his vehicle. The gun was loaded with seven bullets.
This was the fourth time this year that the airport's security checkpoint has caught a gun brought on by a passenger. Nationally, more than 4,000 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at various checkpoints. This averages out to 11.6 firearms a day and marks a seven percent increase in firearm discoveries from 2017.
Eighty-six percent of firearms discovered were loaded and almost 34 percent had a bullet in the chamber.
Passengers who bring firearms to checkpoints can be charged with criminal offenses from law enforcement, and this includes individuals with concealed carry permits.
Those who have TSA PreCheck status may lose that status if they bring a weapon in their carry-on bags.
The TSA also can assign fees of up to $13,333 for weapons violations in accordance with civilian law, but a person is typically fined $4,100 the first time they carry a handgun into a checkpoint. According to the TSA's website, individuals can be charged anywhere from $1,370 to $2,730 and could receive a criminal referral if a loaded firearm is discovered in checked baggage.
Lisa Farbstein, a spokesperson for the TSA Office of Public Affairs, said that travelers should contact their airline if they have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.
