TSA officers catch 2 guns in 1 day at Pittsburgh International Airport

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- TSA officers caught two guns in one day at the Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday.

A man from Slippery Rock was found with a 9 mm gun and two loaded magazines in his carry-on and later in the day, a man from Pittsburgh was stopped with a .380 caliber gun and a loaded magazine in his backpack, the TSA said.

Both men had their weapons confiscated and face stiff federal financial civil penalties. The man from Pittsburgh was also cited because police said he didn't have a firearm permit. The TSA said he told officials he forgot he had his gun and ammunition in his backpack. 

The TSA's federal security director for the airport, Karen Keys-Turner, said the frequency of people bringing guns to checkpoints is "alarming." So far this year, 24 guns have been stopped at the Pittsburgh airport, compared to 26 in all of 2022.

"I urge travelers to take a few moments before they come to the airport to refresh their familiarity with the proper procedures on how to pack a gun for a flight. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this," she said.

Passengers are allowed to travel with guns in checked baggage if they're unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case and declared at the check-in counter.