CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says its agents have found thousands of guns at airports across the country so far this year.
TSA agents intercepted 3,269 guns at various airport security checkpoints this year, as of June 30.
In the first half of the year, an average of 19 guns were detected a day at TSA checkpoints. Of those found, more than 94% were loaded at the time.
This time last year, that number was almost the same: 3,251. Still, TSA said the number of passengers has increased. TSA has screened roughly 7% more passengers in the first six months of the year when compared to 2023.
At Charlotte Douglas International Airport alone, 57 guns were found in the first half of the year. At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, 44 guns were found.
“During a period of record-breaking travel volumes, our officers are working hard to keep our transportation systems secure and the traveling public safe, and any time they detect a firearm, there is a real safety concern for frontline employees and travelers,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.
Those traveling are reminded to "prepare, pack, and declare" by securing firearms in checked baggage, packing firearms unloaded, locking firearms in a hard-sided case, and declaring any firearms to the airline at the ticket counter when checking the bag.
Guns are not allowed at security checkpoints, in any secure area of an airport or the passenger cabin of a plane. If a traveler dose bring a gun to the security checkpoint -- whether or not it is in their carry-on luggage -- a TSA officer will contact local law enforcement in order to unload and take possession of the gun.
The TSA can impose a civil penalty up to nearly $15,000 and first-time offenders could lose their TSA PreCheck eligibility for five years for bringing a firearm to a security checkpoint. Local law enforcement can also cite or arrest the person, if local law permits.