Fairfax County Man Brings Loaded Gun to Airport

ARLINGTON, VA -- Transportation Security Administration officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) stopped a Fairfax County man from bringing a handgun onto a flight Sunday, the TSA said in a news release Monday.

The man, a resident of McLean, was stopped at the checkpoint with a 9 mm caliber handgun, the TSA said. The man was cited by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Police on weapons charges after the TSA officer who was staffing the checkpoint X-ray machine detected the handgun as it passed along the conveyor beltthe agency said.

The incident marked the second firearm caught at a DCA checkpoint in January. An Alexandria man was caught with a loaded 9 mm gun on Jan. 13, the TSA said. A total of 14 firearms were caught at the DCA checkpoints in 2015.

TSA officers immediately contacted the MWAA Police Department and when they arrived at the checkpoint, they confiscated the firearm and cited the man on a state weapons charge. There was no impact to airport operations.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared. Firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-side case, locked, and packed separately from ammunition. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its web site here. Airlines may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition. Travelers should also contact their airline regarding firearm and ammunition carriage policies.

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