RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a man from bringing a gun onto a flight at Richmond International Airport.
The X-ray unit alerted on the man’s carry-on bag when he entered the security checkpoint which required TSA officers to inspect it. Upon inspection, they found a .22 caliber revolver loaded with six bullets.
“Our officers continue to intercept guns at our checkpoints and I’m proud of the way they continue to stay focused on the mission,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “The most firearms our team has caught in a single year was in 2022 when 24 firearms were intercepted. As of today, we sit at 23 guns detected. It is very concerning that gun owners continue to bring their firearms to our checkpoints. Responsible gun owners always know where their firearms are, and they know not to bring them to a checkpoint.”
The man now faces a criminal citation and a stiff financial civil penalty for bringing a gun to a TSA security checkpoint. Penalties for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances.