Arlington Man With Loaded Gun Stopped At Reagan National Airport

ARLINGTON, VA — The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police cited an Arlington man on a weapons charge Thursday for trying to bring a loaded handgun onto a flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

The handgun was the eighth gun detected by TSA officers at Reagan National Airport so far in 2022. In 2021, a total of 30 handguns were confiscated at Reagan National Airport, the most ever in a year, even though the airport saw fewer passengers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Arlington man's gun, a .25 caliber gun loaded with five bullets, was detected by a TSA officer on an X-ray machine as the man was entering the security checkpoint with his carry-on items.

TSA officials notified the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police, who confiscated the gun and cited the man on a weapons charge.

TSA officers say such incidents are becoming more frequent at Reagan National and Washington Dulles International airports, with most of the firearms they encounter being loaded.

Passengers are allowed to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at the airline ticket counter.

Civil penalties for bringing a handgun into a checkpoint can total thousands of dollars. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane, according to the TSA.

RELATED: Most Guns Stopped By TSA Officers At DC's 2 Airports Were Loaded