The summer spread laid out across three long banquet-sized tables Wednesday was big enough to be an impressive picnic.

But the ingredients were a picnic spread of death and injury. Pistols, rifles, bullets and brass knuckles confiscated from carry-on and checked luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport filled the tables — and more are being found by both Port Authority police and Transportation Security Administration officers.

So far, nine guns have been found this year by TSA screeners in carry-on bags, as of June 28, closing in on the total of 12 detected in 2021 at Newark Airport, TSA New Jersey director Tom Carter said during a press conference Wednesday at in Port Authority police headquarters at the airport.

The total of weapons found in carry-on bags or either improperly packed in checked bags or not declared is 14 so far this year and 24 last year, Port Authority officials said.

The guns and ammo were displayed as TSA and PAPD officials implored travelers to follow the rules this summer and pack their bags carefully, at the least to avoid delays at checkpoints and at the worst, a shooting.

“We’re talking about a serious concern we’ve seen at checkpoints at Newark Airport and across the country — an increase in firearms,” Carter said. “The safety problem is guns and ammo not allowed through checkpoints.”

While a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturned a state law that restricted concealed carrying of firearms, that doesn’t apply to aircraft and airports. Despite that, officials say they don’t believe the ruling will increase incidents at airports.

“We’ve not seen an uptick. We don’t expect it… we talk to law enforcement at Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas (which already permits open carry) and they’re not seeing it there,” said Steven Rotolo, Assistant Port Authority Police Chief.

With air travel bouncing back from COVID-19 lows, officials are worried about more guns turning up at air terminal check points and improperly packed in checked bags.

“Going into the summer, we’ll see 80,000 outgoing passengers daily,” said Kevin Fowler, Port Authority Police inspector

The problem is the “dog ate my homework” type of excuse offered to police when TSA screeners find a firearm or weapon in a carry-on bag.

“People don’t think, they say my wife packed the bag… some say they brought it for protection.” Rotolo said.

Travelers have tried to bring brass knuckles they purchased on Canal Street, unaware that it’s considered a weapon, he said. Those numbers don’t include knives, switchblades and boxcutters that have been confiscated

Hunters might have ammo still in their vests in a carry-on that should be checked before packing, Carter said.

What’s the danger? Of the firearms found in carry-on bags at Newark Airport, 80% were loaded, Carter said. Of those, 25% had a round in the chamber.

In addition to putting passengers and screeners at risk, detection of a weapon or ammo in a carry-on bag becomes a delay-causing speed bump to everyone else at the check point, since police are called to investigate and make an arrest.

And it’s a guaranteed arrest in New Jersey, and a person also faces federal charges, Carter said.

What is allowed? The TSA has a webpage with that information.

A person with a permit to carry a firearm can’t bring it on the aircraft or into the airport, but they can transport it in a checked bag in a locked hard case and declared to the airline, Carter said.

“But never in a carry-on,” he cautioned.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at [email protected].

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