A Florida man was stopped by TSA agents at Philadelphia International Airport after he allegedly had a handgun in his carry-on bag. (Credit: TSA)
PHILADELPHIA - A Florida man was stopped by TSA Agents at Philadelphia International Airport after they allegedly found a gun in his carry-on bag Tuesday.
Officials say Philadelphia police officers were called to the security checkpoint after an x-ray unit alerted TSA Agents about a gun inside the carry-on.
The gun was confiscated by Philadelphia police officers, who issued the man a criminal citation. He could also face a stiff federal financial civil penalty, officials say.
It was the 30th firearm stopped by TSA Agents at Philadelphia International Airport this year, which is far less than the 45 caught in 2023 and 44 in 2022.
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"Bringing a loaded firearm to an airport security checkpoint introduces an unnecessary security risk to our officers and to fellow travelers," TSA's Gerardo Spero said.
Officials have reminded passengers that it is possible to travel with a firearm, as long as it is stored correctly and declared with the airline you're traveling with.
More information on how to travel with a firearm can be found on the TSA's website.
"It’s a fairly simple process," Spero said. "The airline will make sure it's transported in the belly of the plane so that nobody has access to it during the flight."