TSA Confiscates Another Loaded Gun At Pittsburgh Airport

FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, PA — Transportation Security Administration officials at Pittsburgh International Airport caught a Brownsville woman with a loaded handgun at the security checkpoint Thursday morning. It was the 32nd handgun confiscated at the airport this year.

The black .380 caliber weapon was loaded with six bullets including one in the chamber. The woman also was toting an additional gun magazine with seven bullets and had six
additional bullets loose in her carry-on bag.

When the TSA officer spotted the gun in the checkpoint X-ray machine, the Allegheny County Police were alerted and confiscated the weapon before arresting the woman. TSA forwarded the incident to be followed up with the issuance of a federal financial civil penalty.

TSA can issue civil penalties of up to $13,910 to travelers who bring weapons with them to a checkpoint.

The U.S. States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania recently announced
that in firearm incidents at the checkpoint that involve an individual who possesses a valid concealed carry permit, they will be requesting County Sheriffs to rescind that resident’s firearms concealed carry license due to negligence.

Karen Keys-Turner, TSA federal security director for the airport, reminded those traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday to take time to inspect their carry-on bags to ensure that they have no prohibited or illegal items.

“Anything from an oversized liquid such as a bottle of water or energy drink to knives and guns need to be left at home," she said. " The airport is getting back to near pre-pandemic travel volume and bringing a prohibited item to the checkpoint will not only delay your checkpoint experience, but it will also delay other travelers.”

TSA can issue civil penalties of up to $13,910 to travelers who bring weapons with them to a checkpoint.

Travelers are allowed to transport their firearms as checked baggage if they are properly packed and declared at their airline ticket counter to be transported in the belly of the plane with checked baggage. Checked firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked and packed
packed separately from ammunition.

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