NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A man was caught with a gun entering the security checkpoint at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport on Saturday.
The X-ray unit alerted TSA staff to a carry-on of his. On further inspection, staff found the gun, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The firearm was removed by the police, who cited the man on a weapons charge. He also faces a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint, which can reach as high as $15,000.
This was the first gun detected at the airport's checkpoint this year.
“There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a firearm to one of our checkpoints,” Robin Burke, TSA’s federal security director for the airport, wrote in a news release.
“Travelers are responsible for the items that they have in their possession. I strongly encourage gun owners 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.”
Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded and then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must 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.