A man was taken into custody by the police at JFK airport after a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening revealed a handgun and ammunition in his carry-on bag. The TSA officers discovered an unloaded firearm and five bullets in a gun magazine during a thorough inspection of the man’s belongings. The incident took place on April 19, and the man, a resident of Sullivan County, was charged with a weapons offense. The New York New Jersey Port Authority has not yet released the man’s identity.
The TSA officer manning the X-ray machine detected the firearm as the man entered the security checkpoint with his carry-on items. Upon further inspection, the TSA officer discovered the gun and alerted Port Authority Police, who confiscated the weapon and arrested the man.
The accused individual claimed that he had no knowledge of the firearm’s presence in his bag, and he denied ownership of the gun. The man also stated that he packed his carry-on bag himself. Despite his claim of innocence, he now faces severe federal financial penalties. According to the TSA, individuals who bring firearms to airport checkpoints may be fined up to $15,000, depending on the circumstances.
John Essig, the TSA’s federal security director at JFK airport, emphasized the importance of preventing guns from being brought to security checkpoints. He noted that such actions not only delay travelers but also pose security and safety risks. Essig reported that this was the fourth firearm detected at the airport’s checkpoints so far this year, with seven guns found in 2022. Nationally, TSA officials caught 6,542 firearms at 262 of 430 airport security checkpoints in 2021, with 88% of those guns loaded.
