GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Security officers at Gerald R. Ford International Airport stopped a man who was carrying a loaded 9mm handgun in a carry-on bag.
The incident happened around 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers stopped the man after detecting a gun in a carry-on bag.
Officers found the gun and a magazine with 10 bullets. They contacted airport police who took possession of the firearm and escorted the passenger away from the checkpoint.
It was the third firearm detected at the Grand Rapids airport this year. Last year, TSA detective 10 firearms at security checkpoints.
“Firearms and prohibited items continue to be detected at airport security checkpoints during this pandemic,” Roger Dubuc, Grand Rapid’s TSA federal security director, said in a statement.
“Our sharp TSA officers remain vigilant while the safety and security of all travelers remain our top priority.”
TSA issues civil penalties to those who bring guns to a checkpoint. The penalty for a first offense of bringing a loaded handgun to a checkpoint is usually $4,100. The state can also file charges.
A list of civil penalties is available on the TSA website.
Passengers can travel with firearms in checked baggage. Firearms must be unloaded, in a locked case, separate from ammunition. Firearms also much be declared at airline check-in.
Read more:
Man says he ‘cremated’ mother after fatally stabbing her, FBI says
Nearly half of all registered voters in Kent, Ottawa counties requested absentee ballots
Family of WMU student slain in 1972 awaits killer’s parole ruling
___
(c)2020 MLive.com, Walker, Mich.
Visit MLive.com, Walker, Mich. at www.mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
