INDIANAPOLIS — TSA officers stopped a new annual record of 95 handguns at Indianapolis International Airport in 2023, topping the previous high by 21, officials announced Wednesday.
With the exception of 2020, when 36 handguns were stopped at the airport, TSA officials detected between 60 and 75 handguns at Indianapolis International Airport each year since 2019.
“Responsible gun owners know where their guns are, and they know not to bring them to a checkpoint,” Indiana TSA Federal Security Director Aaron Batt said in a statement. “We urge passengers to start with an empty bag so you know with certainty that there is nothing prohibited inside. Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is a careless, dangerous mistake that passengers can easily avoid.”
Across the country, more than 6,700 guns were stopped at airport security checkpoints last year, with approximately 93% of them loaded, the TSA said. That number was also a new record, topping last year's total of more than 6,500.
TSA has information on how to property travel with a gun on its website.