Gun In Purse Was Unintentional, Ellicott City Woman Says: TSA

LINTHICUM, MD — An Ellicott City woman is facing state weapons charges after the tried to pass through security at BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport Tuesday with a loaded gun, officials said.

Authorities said they found the gun while it went through the metal detector, and it had seven bullets inside.

The woman reportedly told authorities she forgot that she had the weapon on her Tuesday afternoon.

The woman said that she kept the gun in her purse for protection when she was working and she forgot she had it with her, according to a statement from the Transportation Security Administration.

The woman, whose name was not provided, was one of two people found with a gun on Tuesday at BWI.

Hours earlier, a man was found with a .32 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets in one of his carry-on bags, according to officials, who discovered it as the luggage passed through the x-ray machine at security.

Photo courtesy of TSA.

The man was from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and authorities said they did not think the two were related.

See Also: Loaded Gun At BWI Airport Leads To Pennsylvania Man's Arrest

Are There Penalties For Bringing Guns To Security?

When a gun is found, the TSA requests a response from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, who then confiscate the weapon and arrest the bearer on state weapons charges.

Passengers who bring firearms to the BWI security checkpoint may face criminal charges and civil penalties from TSA up to $12,000.

The Ellicott City woman's gun was the seventh found at BWI so far this year, where 24 guns were confiscated in 2016.

Related: Record Number of Firearms Found at BWI Airport Checkpoints in 2016

Can You Take Firearms On Flights?

Firearms are permitted in checked luggage if these requirements are met (they are never allowed in carry-on bags):

• Firearms are declared to the airline in advance.
• Guns are unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-sided container.
• The carrier possesses the necessary permits.

Firearm parts — including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins — are prohibited in carry-on bags, but they are allowed in checked baggage.

Passengers should check with their airline to find out whether ammunition is permitted in checked baggage. Small arms ammunitions for personal use must be packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ask about limitations or fees.

More information on how to travel with a firearm is on the TSA's website.

Pictured is the gun an Ellicott City woman had in her purse Tuesday at BWI. Photo courtesy of TSA.