Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) officers at John F. Kennedy International Airport prevented a New York City man from carrying a loaded 9mm handgun onto his flight on Tuesday, February 4. The firearm, which contained 12 bullets, was discovered at a security checkpoint.
Port Authority Police responded to the scene, confiscating the weapon and arresting the passenger on a weapons charge. He also faces a federal civil penalty of up to $15,000 for attempting to bring a loaded firearm through TSA security.
TSA reminded travellers that firearms must be unloaded, secured in a locked hard-sided case, and declared at the airline counter for checked baggage. Unauthorised firearms at TSA checkpoints remain a serious security violation, with JFK officers stopping one firearm so far in 2025, following 10 cases in 2024.
