Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Richmond International Airport (RIC) are on pace to set a record for the most firearms intercepted at the checkpoint in a single year. With a little more than six months remaining in 2024 they have already surpassed the number of firearms caught last year.
In 2023, TSA officers detected 17 firearms at RIC checkpoints. This year they matched that total on June 8, and surpassed it the very next day, on June 9, when the 18th firearm was detected.
“We are seeing far too many firearms at our checkpoints, and what’s particularly concerning is the amount of them that are loaded, presenting an unnecessary risk to everyone at the TSA checkpoint,” said Robin “Chuck” Burke, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Richmond International Airport.
“Honestly, it’s disappointing to see so many people bring their loaded guns to our checkpoints,” Burke added. “So far 89 percent of the firearms that our officers have intercepted this year have been loaded. When we stop the travelers with firearms most claim that they forgot that they had their loaded gun with them. Responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times. That’s an important part of being a responsible gun owner,” he said.
Firearms and ammunition are strictly prohibited in carry-on baggage.
“The thing is, passengers may transport their firearms for a flight if packed properly,” Burke explained. To do so, the gun must be unloaded, placed in a hard-sided case and then locked inside the case. Next, it should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will ask that a small card be filled out and then the airline will make sure that the firearm is transported in the belly of the plane where nobody has access to it during a flight. “It’s a simple process,” he added.
