California Man Caught With Loaded Handgun At Reagan National Airport

ARLINGTON, VA — A California man was arrested by police on Thursday after he was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington with a loaded gun in his carry-on bag.

The man's 9mm handgun was loaded with 17 bullets, including one in the chamber, TSA said.

The gun was caught as the man entered a security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted a TSA officer to check the carry-on bag, which was opened by police for closer inspection.

After the gun was confiscated, the man was arrested on state charges. The man also faces a possible civil penalty from TSA totaling $15,000.

As of July 13, 20 guns have been caught at TSA checkpoints at Reagan National Airport in 2023. A record 30 guns were caught at checkpoints at Reagan National Airport in 2021. In 2022, 29 guns were caught at the airport.

During the first six months of 2023, TSA officers have detected more than 3,000 guns at airport checkpoints nationwide. Last year, 6,542 firearms were caught at 262 out of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide. Eighty-eight percent of those guns were loaded.

Passengers are only permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage. They must be unloaded and then packed in a hard-sided locked case.

The law against firearms on planes applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits, TSA said.