'Unforgiveable': Montco Man Caught Carrying Gun On Flight For 2nd Time, TSA Says

PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Montgomery County man has once again been caught by authorities trying to carry a handgun on to a flight at Philadelphia International Airport.

The Souderton resident, who was not identified by the Transportation Security Administration, was previously caught doing the exact same thing, officials said. This time it was a .38 caliber he tried to get past security.

"The fact that this is the second gun-related offense...is absolutely unacceptable," Gerardo Spero, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport, said in a statement. "Getting caught one time is one thing, but not learning a lesson from that experience is just unforgivable."

The incident occurred on Saturday, Oct. 28. TSA officers were alerted to check the man's bag when the X-ray unit at the security checkpoint showed something suspicious.

The repeat offender was one of two men caught trying to bring a weapon onto a flight this weekend. A Philadelphia man also tried to bring a gun loaded with 21 bullets onto the plane inside his gym bag, the TSA said.

Both men face a federal civil penalty, which can be up to several thousand dollars depending on the case. The man committing his second offense faces a potentially significantly stiffer fine.

It is legal to check firearms on a flight, the TSA is sure to remind the public each time an announcement like this is made, but weapons cannot be carried on to a flight.

Philadelphia has already seen a near-record number of such attempts in 2023, with 40 individuals now caught trying to bring weapons on to a flight. The previous record for a single year was 44, set in 2022.