A Pittsburgh woman was stopped Friday morning by security at Pittsburgh International Airport for having a loaded gun in her carry-on luggage.
Officers with the Transportation Security Administration found the .380-caliber gun loaded with six bullets.
According to a news release, the gun was spotted through the X-ray machine at a security checkpoint. TSA immediately alerted Allegheny County Police.
The woman who was carrying the gun is now facing federal civil penalties.
This is the 18th gun TSA has caught at security checkpoints this year. Last year had a record-breaking year, with 35 guns discovered, one more than in 2018.
More than 4,400 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags across the country last year — and 87% of them were loaded. Nationwide, there was a 5% increase in firearm discoveries by TSA from 2018 to 2019.
Passengers are allowed to travel with firearms in checked bags if they are properly packaged and declared at the airline ticket counter. But holding guns in carry-on bags can result in fines as high as $13,669, regardless of concealed carry permits.
