Passenger Tried To Bring Guns, Ammo Onto Plane At Westchester Airport

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — A Florida man was arrested after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners discovered he was attempting to board a flight at Westchester County Airport (HPN) with a loaded handgun and 20 additional bullets, federal officials said.

The TSA prevented the passenger from carrying his loaded handgun onto the flight on Sunday. The 9mm handgun was loaded with 10 bullets, including one in the chamber, along with two gun magazines packed with 20 more bullets, the Homeland Security agency said.

A TSA officer was alerted after the X-ray unit spotted the handgun on the checkpoint X-ray machine's monitor as the man's belongings were being screened. TSA immediated alerted police who confiscated the gun and ammunition, and arrested the Florida man on a weapons charge.

The passenger faces a federal financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to an airport security checkpoint. The penalty for carrying weapons recently increased to a maximum of $15,000.

This was the third incident of a gun being detected by TSA at the Westchester County Airport checkpoint so far this year.

"Guns are not permitted through any airport security checkpoint," TSA Federal Security Director at Westchester County Airport Robert Duffy said. "Guns are not permitted to be carried past a TSA security checkpoint. Hopefully this will be a strong reminder to others not to bring their guns to our checkpoints. This individual now faces a stiff Federal financial penalty that could cost him thousands of dollars. Additionally, it is important to remember that a concealed carry permit or enrollment in the TSA PreCheck program are not exemptions from this policy."

According to federal regulations, guns can be transported on a flight if they are unloaded, packed in a locked, hard-sided case and declared to the airline. The airline will be sure that the gun travels with checked baggage in the belly of the plane, never in the cabin of the plane. Replica firearms are also prohibited in carry-on baggage and must also be transported in checked luggage.

Since firearm possession laws vary by state and locality, gun owners are responsible for ensuring they are not violating any local firearm laws. Contacting the airline could also reveal any additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the circumstances. Among the factors TSA considers when determining the civil penalty amount, include whether the firearm was loaded and whether there was accessible ammunition.

Civil penalties apply to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.

Frequent flyers who violate rules regarding traveling with guns will have Trusted Traveler status and TSA PreCheck expedited screening benefits revoked.

In 2022, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints across the country. 88 percent of those guns were loaded.

The TSA is reminding passengers to always know the contents of their carry-on bag prior to coming to the security checkpoint.

Travelers can use the “Can I Bring?” feature on the TSA website or on the free downloadable myTSA app. Travelers can also Tweet or Message “@AskTSA” if they have a travel question or are unsure if an item is allowed through security in a carry-on bag. Just snap a picture or send a question and get real-time assistance weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.