COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two firearms were confiscated at John Glenn Columbus International Airport over the weekend.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, the first incident happened around 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 11. A passenger presented their property for screening and a TSA officer detected an image of a firearm on the X-ray screen. TSA officials alerted Columbus Regional Airport Authority who found that the gun was loaded.
Officers confiscated the weapon and cited the passenger, who said they forgot the weapon was in the bag.
The second incident happened Feb. 12 when a firearm was detected in a passenger's carry-on bag. Police responded again and took possession of the weapon. TSA did not say if that passenger was cited.
“We take it very seriously when a gun is detected during the security screening process,” said Ohio TSA Federal Security Director Donald Barker. “Any time dangerous items are presented in the checkpoint, we have serious safety concerns for all in the area, and the resolution disrupts the screening process for the passengers waiting behind the offender.”
This is the fifth and sixth weapons detected at CMH this year. A total of 40 firearms were found at the airport last year.
TSA said passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter. Travelers are advised to check for firearm laws in the jurisdiction they are traveling to.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm which can be seen here.