An Arizona man has been arrested for trying to carry a loaded handgun onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport.
On Friday, TSA officers detected the .380 caliber gun among the man's belongings.
It was loaded with loaded with five bullets.
Officials say when the man unzipped his laptop bag at the security checkpoint, the gun fell onto the floor.
Officers took possession of the firearm and contacted police, who confiscated the weapon and arrested the man on a weapons charge.
“There is absolutely no excuse for bringing a firearm to one of our checkpoints,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Travelers are responsible for the items that they have in their possession. I strongly encourage gun owners to take a few moments before they come to the airport to refresh their familiarity with the proper procedures on how to pack a gun for a flight. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this,” she said.
As of Friday, August 28, 27 guns have been confiscated at Pittsburgh International Airport. That’s one more than all of last year.