COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Transportation Safety Administration said officers have detected a record number of firearms at checkpoints at John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
TSA said so far this year, 41 firearms have been detected at the Columbus airport — which surpasses the previous record of 40 firearms being detected.
The latest firearm that was confiscated at the airport was on Tuesday around 8:30 a.m. TSA said the loaded weapon was discovered in a passenger’s carry-on bag.
Officers have also detected loaded firearms in other incidents on Sept. 25, Sept. 28 and Sept. 29. The Columbus Regional Airport Authority police were alerted and confiscated the weapons.
TSA announced that during the first three quarters of 2023, officers intercepted 5,072 firearms at airport security checkpoints. At the current rate, the agency said it will surpass last year’s record 6,542 firearms prevented from getting onboard aircraft.
“It’s troubling that we’ve set an all-time record for firearms stopped at the checkpoint with three months still left in the year,” Ohio TSA Federal Security Director Don Barker said. “In addition to the serious safety risk these incidents pose, they also slow down the screening process for all passengers when we’re forced to temporarily close down a lane. I urge passengers to think twice before they leave the house about what they’re bringing in their carry-on bags.”
The penalty for a firearm violation can be as high as $14,950, but TSA said it determines the penalties based on the circumstances in each case. Passengers will be revoked of TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years if they’re caught with a firearm in their possession.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they’re unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website.
Firearm possession laws vary by state and municipality. Travelers are encouraged to check for firearm laws in the jurisdiction they are flying to and from.