NewsRegionAnne Arundel County

Actions

TSA recovers first gun of 2020 at BWI Airport

Posted
and last updated

LINTHICUM, Md. (WMAR) — A Harford County man was arrested after being found with a loaded gun at a security checkpoint inside BWI.

TSA officers caught the man with a loaded 9 mm handgun at a security checkpoint.

It's the first gun TSA officers found at the airport this year, following a record 2019.

According to TSA, the gun was spotted in the man’s carry-on bag while going through an X-ray at checkpoint. The Maryland Transportation Authority Police were notified, arrived at the checkpoint, confiscated the gun and detained the man for questioning before citing him on weapons charges.

The man told officials that he had the loaded handgun with him for work purposes, but forgot that he had it with him when he went to the airport to catch a flight Thursday morning.

TSA said passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared. Guns must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition.