Loaded Gun Seized At Pittsburgh International Airport

FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, PA — Transportation Security Administration officers at Pittsburgh International Airport intercepted a gun from a woman who was going through the security checkpoint on Wednesday.

The pink .380 caliber handgun was loaded with six bullets. It was the fourth firearm that TSA officers have detected so far this year. Last year, TSA officers intercepted 42 guns at the airport’s checkpoints, the most of any airport in the state.

“This is an instance in which the traveler told us that she typically has the firearm with her on any given day and that she forgot to remove it from her carry-on before heading to the airport,” said Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Pennsylvania. “If you own a firearm, you need to know where it is at all times. That’s an important part of being a responsible gun owner. Now this individual faces a stiff federal financial penalty.”

The TSA can issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. Civil penalties for bringing a weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances.