Loudoun County Man Cited For Bringing Loaded Gun To Airport Checkpoint

DULLES, VA — A Transformation Security Administration officer stopped a Loudoun County man from bringing a loaded handgun onto a flight leaving Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday, according to a release.

After the man entered a security checkpoint at the airport, the X-ray unit detected the weapon in the man's carry-on bag. TSA officials notified Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officers, who confiscated the gun and cited the man.

The resident of Round Hill told the officers he meant to remove the 9mm handgun loaded with two rounds from his bag the night before, but he forgot, according to the release.

“The year is still in its infancy and at this point I ask every owner of a firearm to commit to making a new year’s resolution to pack their weapon properly for a flight if they want to travel with it,” said Scott T. Johnson, TSA’s federal security director for the airport, in the release.

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 online for people traveling with firearms.

"Hopefully this incident serves as a reminder to other firearm owners about the proper way to transport their firearm," Johnson said, in the release. "This individual now faces a stiff financial civil penalty — a penalty for carrying a weapon that was recently increased to a maximum of $15,000.”