Record Gun Seizures By TSA Officers At 2 Of 4 DC-Area Airports In 2023

HERNDON, VA — Transportation Security Administration officers stopped 122 firearms last year at airport security checkpoints in the Washington, D.C. region and Richmond, Virginia. That was five more than the 117 stopped at the same four airports in 2022, and both Reagan National and BWI Airports set records for guns detected.

In 2023, TSA officers detected a total 6,737 firearms at security checkpoints at 265 airports across the U.S. That was a significant increase over the 6,542 detected in 2022. Approximately 93 percent of the firearms detected in 2023 were loaded.

The majority of those who had their firearms stopped at airport security checkpoints told TSA officers that they had forgotten that they had a gun in their carry-on bag.

Penalties vary for bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint, depending on the jurisdiction. In Virginia, bringing a firearm to a TSA checkpoint is considered a criminal act. A complete list of penalties is posted online.

People are allowed to travel with their handguns, but the handguns must be properly stored in their checked baggage and declared at check-in. In addition, handguns must be stored unloaded in a hard-locked case, with ammunition stored separately. The hard-locked case must be brought to the airline check-in window, where it will be checked with the traveler's baggage. TSA has more information available online for people traveling with firearms.