TSA: Woman becomes first person in 2021 to be caught with loaded gun at airport

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The Transportation Security Administration says a woman has become the first person in 2021 to be caught with a loaded gun at Richmond International Airport.

On January 3, TSA officers stopped the woman with a .38 caliber handgun loaded with five bullets among the items in her carry-on bag as it went through the security checkpoint X-ray machine.

The TSA says airport police were alerted, responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the handgun and arrested the woman.

TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100 and can go as high as $13,669 depending on any mitigating circumstances.

This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane.

The complete list of civil penalties is posted online.

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