It is nearly unfathomable that this is an ongoing issue, but the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) set a new record in 2023.
In the agency’s 2023 review of the year, it was revealed that agents blocked 6,737 weapons from being taken into secure zones of airports. And a staggering 93% of these guns were loaded.
The total blew by last year’s record of 6,542 intercepted in carry-on bags or on passengers. It also marked the third consecutive year of an all-time high of firearms blocked at airports.
The agency screened over 858 million commercial U.S. passengers for a rate of 7.8 firearms per million individuals.
The overwhelming majority of U.S. gun owners are always aware of the location of their weapons. Safety is priority one for every organization promoting Second Amendment rights, and there is no clearer mission than to secure all weapons.
Agency Administrator David Pekoske clarified in a Wednesday news release that the problem is not going away. “We are still seeing far too many firearms at TSA checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint.”
Federal regulations prohibit weapons and ammunition in carry-on luggage. However, passengers are permitted to fly with an unloaded gun if it is packed properly in a hard-shell and locked case. It must be in checked baggage and declared to the airline at check-in.
TSA officials emphasized that their agents do not confiscate weapons that are discovered. Rather, the outcome for the carrier is determined by local laws. These vary between jurisdictions, with civil penalties in addition to a possible arrest and criminal citation.
The civil penalty may reach as high as $15,000 for each incident.
