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CHICAGO —Transportation Security Administration officers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) stopped four handguns from making their way onto flights in separate incidents this week.
This handgun was detected by TSA officers in a passenger’s carry-on bag at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on June 7. (TSA photo)
In all incidents, passengers presented their carry-on bags for screening and Transportation Security Officers detected the firearms on the X-ray. TSA officers contacted Chicago Police Department for further action. Individuals may face criminal charges.
“With summer travel ramping up, our TSA Officers continue to do a fantastic job preventing firearms from entering the secure area of the airport,” Dereck Starks, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Illinois, said. “Let me be clear: Guns are never allowed in carry-on luggage. Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint can have serious consequences and endangers other passengers.”
Including these firearms, 36 guns have been stopped at ORD so far in 2022, and 18 have been detected at MDW. In 2021, TSA officers stopped a total of 91 guns at ORD security checkpoints and 42 at MDW.
TSA issues civil penalties to travelers who bring guns to a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100. The complete list of civil penalties is on the TSA website. If a traveler with a gun is a member of TSA PreCheck, that individual will lose their TSA PreCheck privileges for a period of time.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.