INDIANAPOLIS — TSA has stopped four loaded guns in one week at Indianapolis International Airport and a total of 10 this month, that's compared to a total of 68 that were stopped at the airport in 2022.
Officers say it's a concerning trend to start the year.
“It’s disturbing that so many Indianapolis passengers have made the irresponsible decision to bring a firearm to the checkpoint in just the first month of the year,” said Aaron Batt, TSA’s federal security cirector for Indiana.
According to TSA, the latest incident happened Tuesday, Jan. 24.
TSA officers detected the gun in a carry-on bag in the checkpoint X-ray machine, and the Indiana Airport Authority police were alerted. Police responded to the checkpoint and confiscated the weapon.
Two more loaded guns were stopped at airport checkpoints on Sunday, Jan. 22 and another was stopped days prior on Thursday, Jan. 19.
“Our TSA officers continue to do an outstanding job detecting these weapons," Batt said, "but any time dangerous items are presented in the checkpoint, we have serious safety concerns for all in the area, and the resolution disrupts the screening process for the passengers waiting behind the offender. Individuals who own firearms should familiarize themselves with regulations regarding where their weapons can and cannot be carried.”
Last month, TSA announced the fine for bringing weapons into the airport had increased to as much as $14,950. Passengers caught with a gun will also have their TSA PreCheck eligibility revoked for at least five years, TSA said.
People can travel with guns in checked baggage under some conditions. TSA says firearms must be unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter.
TSA reported their officers discovered 68 handguns during security checks at Indianapolis last year, which is 74 fewer than in 2021. Thirty-six were found at Indianapolis checkpoints in 2020.
Nationwide, the TSA said they discovered 6,542 firearms over the course of the year, 570 more than was found in 2021, which previously held the record.