A Jeannette man was stopped Wednesday when officials found a .380 caliber handgun in his carry-on bag at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
It was the second gun stopped at the airport this year.
The gun was loaded with six bullets, according to the TSA.
Officials notified Latrobe Park Police, who questioned the man. His identity has not been disclosed. He faces a federal fine, according to the TSA.
The typical fine for a first offender bringing a loaded gun to a TSA checkpoint is $4,100. Fines can be higher than $13,000 depending on the circumstances. Details about this specific fine have not been disclosed.
TSA officers found one gun at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport’s checkpoint in 2020, and four in 2019.
Pittsburgh International Airport’s TSA checkpoints have had an especially busy year, with eight guns found so far.
The number of guns found at both Pittsburgh International Airport and Arnold Palmer Regional Airport dropped in 2020 due to reduced travel during the coronavirus pandemic. However, this drop was not commensurate with the decline in travelers, according to Lisa Farbstein, TSA spokesperson.
Nationally, TSA caught 3,257 firearms at airport checkpoints last year. Twice as many firearms per 1 million travelers were found last year compared to 2019, according to the TSA.
Of the guns caught by TSA in 2020, about 83% were loaded.
The TSA reminds travelers that guns are only allowed to travel on planes as checked baggage. They must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case and packed separately from ammunition.
