NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — Police arrested a Texas man after Transportation Security Administration officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport detected a loaded firearm among the man's carry-on items on Friday.
The 9mm gun was loaded with nine bullets and was caught as the man entered the security checkpoint.
The X-ray unit alerted on the items in his carry-on bag.
TSA officials notified the Port Authority Police who confiscated the gun and arrested the man on a weapons charge.
Additionally, he also faces a stiff federal financial civil penalty with a maximum of $15,000.
It was the sixth firearm that TSA officers have detected at the airport checkpoints so far this year.
"The busy summer travel season is in full swing and it is extremely busy at our checkpoints. When individuals bring their firearms to our checkpoints, it represents a risk to everyone in the area and slows down the checkpoint screening process for everyone," John Essig, TSA's Federal Security Director for the airport said. "Responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times and they know not to bring them to a security checkpoint."
