TSA intercepts gun, ammunition; Mitchell International Airport
MILWAUKEE - Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers prevented a handgun from making its way onboard an airplane at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) on Thursday, June 2.
A news release says a TSA officer spotted the image of a handgun on the X-ray screen during a routine screening of carry-on luggage.
The incident occurred around 4:45 a.m., and TSA officials immediately alerted the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy responded to the checkpoint and issued a citation. The passenger, of Zion, Illinois, did not have a concealed carry license.
This is the ninth firearm detected at MKE this year. A total of 23 firearms were detected at MKE security checkpoints last year.
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TSA may impose civil penalties of up to $13,910 per violation per person. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100.
Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are unloaded, packed separately from ammunition in a locked hardback case and declared at the airline check-in counter. Firearm possession laws vary by state and locality. Travelers should check for firearm laws in the jurisdictions they are flying to and from.