Hatfield Man Tries To Bring Loaded Handgun Onto Philly Flight: TSA

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — A Montgomery County man tried to bring his loaded handgun through a security checkpoint onto a plane at Philadelphia International Airport on Wednesday, officials said.

The .45 caliber weapon had 11 bullets in it, including one in the chamber, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

“Let me be very clear when I say that there is absolutely no excuse for bringing a gun to our checkpoints,” Christine Assili, TSA’s Deputy Federal Security Director for the airport, said in a statement.

The man, who was not identified but who is a resident of Hatfield, had the gun in his carry-on bag, the TSA said. The X-ray unit alerted officers to something suspicious, and they found it upon closer inspection.

The man now faces a fine of up to $15,000, as well as citation from police.

"This was a good catch on the part of our TSA team here at Philadelphia," Assili added. "Our officers are good at their jobs and are very vigilant when it comes to helping ensure that no illegal or prohibited items are carried onto a flight."

It's hardly the first time this has happened at Philly, which is on track for another record year of catching attempts of this sort. A total of 44 individuals attempted to bring handguns onto flights at the airport in 2022, the most ever. The airport has already seen 36 such attempts in 2023.