Guns at Wisconsin airports: TSA stops 5 in March; 'tremendous risk'
Gun detected by TSA officers in a passenger's carry-on bag at Appleton International Airport on March 24 (Courtesy: TSA)
MILWAUKEE - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reminding passengers that firearms are never allowed in carry-on baggage, after officers intercepted two firearms in one day at Appleton International Airport (ATW) this week.
Firearms have also been detected this month at checkpoints in Dane County Regional Airport (MSN), Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE), and Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA).
Appleton International Airport incident
What we know:
The incident at Appleton International Airport occurred on Monday, March 24, around 5:30 a.m. During the routine screening of carry-on luggage, TSA officers spotted the image of two handguns on the X-ray screen within a single bag.
TSA officials alerted the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, who responded to the checkpoint and took possession of the firearms.
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Both firearms were loaded.
What they're saying:
"As we continue to project elevated travel volumes at airports across the state in the coming weeks and months, we urge passengers to start with an empty bag and ensure they aren’t inadvertently bringing any prohibited items to the checkpoint," TSA Wisconsin Federal Security Director Mark Lendvay said. "Bringing a firearm in your carry-on bag is a careless, expensive mistake that introduces tremendous risk to the crowded checkpoint environment."
Nationally
What we know:
According to the TSA, nationally, more than 6,000 firearms were stopped at airport checkpoints in 2024. That's a decrease from the year prior.
In Wisconsin, most airports saw their firearm detections drop last year as well, according to a news release from the TSA.
TSA fines passengers
What we know:
In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, TSA fines passengers who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint with a civil penalty up to approximately $15,000, revokes TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years and may conduct enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present.
Traveling with firearms
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline check-in counter. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality.
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Travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.
What you can do:
TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).