Handgun Found In Alexandria Man's Carry-On Bag At Airport Checkpoint

ARLINGTON, VA — Transportation Security Officers prevented an Alexandria man from bringing a .40 handgun loaded with 12 bullets onto a flight leaving Ronald Reagan National Airport on Saturday.

The X-ray unit at an airport security checkpoint alerted TSA officers to take a closer look at the man's carry-on bag. After confiscating the gun, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police cited the man on a weapons charge. He faces a maximum penalty of $15,000 for bringing a handgun to a security checkpoint.

“This marked the third gun that our officers detected during the month of March, which is a very busy period due to spring break travel,” said John Busch, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “Bringing a loaded gun to an airport security checkpoint delays these spring break travelers. However, more important is the fact that bringing a loaded gun to a checkpoint is a security risk that our officers take seriously, which is why this individual now faces a federal financial civil penalty.”

People are allowed to travel with their handguns, but the handguns must be properly stored in their checked baggage and declared at check-in. In addition, handguns must be stored unloaded in a hard-locked case, with ammunition stored separately. The hard-locked case must be brought to the airline check-in window, where it will be checked with the traveler's baggage. TSA has more information available onlinefor people traveling with firearms.

The handgun confiscated on Saturday was the 10th weapon TSA officers have detected at Washington National in 2024. Thirty-nine firearms were stopped at the airport in 2023, which was 10 more than the previous year.