NORFOLK, Va. — Over Memorial Day weekend, the Norfolk International Airport (ORF) reported that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered a loaded firearm inside a carry-on bag.
The .45 caliber handgun was found inside a California man's carry-on bag while he was going through security. The gun was loaded with seven bullets, including one in the chamber, according to an ORF spokesperson.
Norfolk police confiscated the firearm and subsequently cited the man with a weapons charge. Officials said the man could face a financial civil penalty as high as $15,000.
“When individuals bring their firearms to our checkpoints, it slows down the checkpoint screening process for everyone, and on the busiest day ever, that was certainly not something that other travelers needed to experience. What’s important to know is that our officers are good at their jobs and even with sky-high checkpoint volume, they remain alert and vigilant in screening individuals who are arriving at our checkpoints,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for ORF. “I commend our officers on their good catch in preventing an individual from boarding a plane with a loaded firearm.”
So far this year, Norfolk TSA has caught 15 firearms. In 2023, the airport reported that 29 guns had been found at security checkpoints.
Nationally last year, more than 6,700 firearms were caught at airport security — 93% of them were loaded.
"Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage," according to a release from ORF. "Firearms must be unloaded then packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case must be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared."
For more information about packing a firearm, visit TSA's website here.