An airline employee was stopped at an MSP Airport security checkpoint with a loaded gun in their bag last week.
Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Jessica Mayle says these incidents are disturbing and disruptive, and thankfully this one appears to be an innocent oversight.
"In this case, and again overwhelmingly with passengers, they say, 'oh my gosh I forgot I had the gun in my bag'. They don't mean to bring it through, but responsible firearm owners always know where their weapons are and we just want to remind people not to make this mistake," Mayle explains.
Mayle says fines for being stopped with a loaded gun at an airport security checkpoint can reach nearly $15,000 depending on the situation.
She says passengers are allowed to travel with firearms as long as they are checked, and unloaded.
This is the 49th firearm detected at MSP this year, and one of more than 5,000 nationwide for 2023. Last year, 58 firearms were detected at MSP security checkpoints, and 56 were stopped in 2021.
No further details on the employee or which airline they work for are being released.
The TSA says the employee was randomly selected for screening. After a TSA officer spotted the image of a handgun on the X-ray screen during the screening of the passenger’s property, TSA officials immediately alerted the MSP Airport Police, who responded to the checkpoint. The firearm was loaded.
“Our officers are focused on ensuring that firearms and other weapons do not make it through our security checkpoints,” said Marty Robinson, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Minnesota. “I’m grateful that our officers here and nationwide remain vigilant during this busy travel season. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage, and airline employees should certainly be aware of that.”
TSA recently announced that during the first three quarters of 2023, officers intercepted 5,072 firearms at airport security checkpoints, and at the current rate, the agency will surpass last year’s record 6,542 firearms prevented from getting onboard aircraft.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.