NORFOLK, Va. — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and police officers stopped a Suffolk man who allegedly tried to bring a loaded 9 mm handgun through an airport checkpoint on Sunday.
Lisa Farbstein, a spokeswoman for TSA, said agents first noticed something was wrong when a man's carry-on bag going through an X-ray machine triggered an alarm.
TSA screeners then saw the gun, called over Norfolk Airport Authority Police, and they confiscated it, Farbstein said.
The gun allegedly had 14 bullets in it, including one in its chamber.
The man, who wasn't named, was cited for a weapons violation.
Robin "Chuck" Burke, a TSA leader for the airport, said people who bring guns in the building without following their process for safely transporting them will face criminal and civil penalties.
"Travelers play a vital role in ensuring a smooth checkpoint experience," Burke wrote.
This was the sixth gun to be found at the airport in 2022.
If you want to bring a plane on a flight, there are strict rules, including locking up the gun and declaring it at the front ticket counter. You can learn more about the process on the TSA website.