TSA Detects Increase In Firearms In Greater Washington-Baltimore Area Airport Checkpoints

WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- TSA officers stopped 60 handguns in the Greater Washington-Baltimore area airport checkpoints in 2019, an increase from the 55 caught in 2018.

The increase mirrored the national trend of an uptick in the number of firearms detected at airport checkpoints across the country.

Nationwide, TSA officers caught more firearms at checkpoints nationwide in 2019 than ever before in the agency's 18-year history.

In total, 4,432 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags or on passengers at checkpoints across the country last year, averaging about 12.1 firearms per day, about a five percent increase from 2018.

TSA Firearms Catches At Checkpoints In Airports In The Baltimore/Washington Region: 

• At Baltimore Washington International Airport, TSA officers caught 27 handguns in 2019, compared to 22 handguns in 2018.
• At Washington Dulles International Airport, TSA officers caught 19 handguns in 2019, compared to 17 in 2018.
• At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, TSA officers caught 14 handguns in 2019, down two from the 16 caught in 2018.

In:
• Baltimore
• DC
• Baltimore City