A resident of Newtown, Connecticut, was arrested by law enforcement authorities for possessing a firearm in his carry-on luggage when he was preparing to take a flight at LaGuardia Airport.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents discovered the .380 caliber pistol, which was loaded with six bullets. The incident occurred on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the TSA, the firearm was detected during security screening in the X-ray unit. Officers immediately notified Port Authority Police, who confiscated the gun and arrested the suspect. .
The Connecticut man now faces a civil fine that could reach up to $15,000.
“It’s disappointing to see travelers bringing their loaded guns to our security checkpoints,” said Robert Duffy, TSA federal security director for LaGuardia Airport.
It is the sixth firearm TSA confiscates at LaGuardia in 2023
Director Robert Duffy described as “staggering” the number of people who have had to be detained with firearms at checkpoints across the country. The number rises to 5,000 weapons.
Likewise, it is the sixth confiscated by the TSA at LaGuardia Airport so far in 2023.
“There is no reasonable excuse to take a loaded firearm to one of our checkpoints, because it cannot be carried into the cabin of an airplane. Responsible gun owners know this,” he said.
TSA clarifies that passengers are allowed to travel with firearms only in checked luggage, if they are unloaded and packed in a locking hard case. The case must then be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared.
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