HARRISBURG – Transportation Security Administration officers at Harrisburg International Airport intercepted a loaded gun at a security checkpoint yesterday. The 9mm handgun was loaded with 13 bullets. When TSA detected the gun, the checkpoint lane came to a halt until police responded and removed the carry-on bag from the X-ray machine and removed the handgun. Police cited the Lancaster man on a weapons charge and then allowed him to return the firearm to his vehicle. It was the fourth firearm that TSA officers intercepted at the airport checkpoint this year. The proper way to transport a firearm for a flight is to ensure it is unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case, and taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will make sure that the firearm is transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during the flight. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Bringing a gun to an airport checkpoint carries a federal civil penalty of up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances.
