Guns Found At Colorado Airport Checkpoints Spiked In 2021

COLORADO — Nearly 6,000 firearms were found in carry-on luggage at U.S. airport checkpoints in 2021, according to new information released by the Transportation Security Administration. Of those guns, nearly 141 were seized at Denver International Airport in Colorado.

Nationwide, 5,972 guns were intercepted at 268 airports last year, according to TSA data. That’s a 36 percent increase over 2019, when travel volume was similar to 2021, and a staggering 45 percent increase over 2020.

Among the firearms confiscated by officials, 86 percent were loaded, CBS News reported.

"That presents a significant health, safety and security concern for us," TSA Administrator David Pekoske told CBS News.

In 2021, Denver International TSA screened 18.3 million passengers and crew, compared to the 10.6 million they screened in 2020.

Here’s how many firearms were found at airports in Denver in 2021:

• DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: 141 guns

In 2021, the TSA screened approximately 585 million passengers and crew at airports across the country. That figure represents an 81 percent increase over the approximately 324 million screened in 2020.

This means a firearm was detected for every 97,999 passengers screened.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta was at the top of this year’s list with 507 guns detected, up from 323 in 2019.

These airports had the highest numbers of guns found in 2021:

1) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport: 507 guns
2) Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: 317 guns
3) Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport: 245 guns
4) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport: 196 guns
5) Nashville International Airport: 163 guns
6) Denver International Airport: 141 guns
7) Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: 128 guns
8) Orlando International Airport: 124 guns
9) Louis Armstrong New Orleans International: 119 guns
10) Salt Lake City International Airport: 115 guns

Pekoske told CBS News he’s worried about the alarming record.

"What's causing it? I don't know exactly, but generally, I think our weapons carriage detections reflect just more people carrying weapons in the country," he told CBS News.