OKLAHOMA CITY -The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has found four loaded firearms in 10 days at security screening checkpoints at Will Rogers World Airport (OKC). So far this year, a total of 26 firearms have been intercepted at OKC checkpoints.
The most recent firearm was detected Monday, Aug 21 at the West checkpoint. Two others were found Aug. 15, and the fourth was discovered Aug. 13. All firearms were carried by different passengers. In all cases, the firearms were detected during X-ray screening at a security screening checkpoint. Per standard procedure, TSA alerted Oklahoma City Police, and an officer took possession of the weapons and interviewed the passengers. Any determination about a criminal charge is up to law enforcement.
“We’ve already surpassed the number of firearms brought to checkpoints this year as compared to 2016, where we had 23 for the entire year," said Oklahoma TSA Federal Security Director Steve Crawford. “So this is a good time to remind passengers that firearms cannot be carried to security checkpoints. They can only be transported in a checked bag that is declared to the airline at the ticket counter and properly packed in a locked, hard-sided container." Firearm parts, ammunition, and realistic replicas are also not allowed through security checkpoints, but can be transported in checked bags.
Nationwide, TSA officers found 3,391 firearms at airport security checkpoints in 2016, which was a 28 percent increase over 2015.
TSA has the authority to levy a civil penalty of up to $11,000 against a passenger who brings a firearm to the checkpoint. The average penalty for a loaded firearm is $3,000, and the average for an unloaded is $1,500. For more information, visit the prohibited items and firearms and ammunition pages at tsa.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration
