TSA officers detected this handgun and kept it from being carried onto a flight at Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday, Aug. 7. TSA/Submitted Photos

Transportation Security Administration officers confiscated a loaded 9 mm handgun and two loaded gun magazines from a Slippery Rock man Monday, Aug. 7, at Pittsburgh International Airport.

A news release from the TSA said an officer spotted the handgun in the checkpoint X-ray machine and alerted airport police, who confiscated the weapon. The man, whose name was not released, faces a federal civil penalty, which can run as high as $15,000, depending on the circumstances, the TSA said.

“The frequency in the number of travelers bringing guns to our checkpoints is alarming,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “Our officers are doing a tremendous job staying vigilant while screening travelers during this peak summer travel period.”

She said this was the 23rd firearm detected at an airport checkpoint in the Pittsburgh International Airport this year.

Last year, 26 firearms were detected at airport checkpoints. The number caught in 2021 was 32.

Between 2017 and 2023, more than 200 firearms have been detected at the checkpoints. The highest number of catches in a year was 35 in 2019. The lowest was 21 in 2020.

“Remember, carrying firearms to security checkpoints slows down the security lines for everyone. If you’re flying this summer — or any time of the year — it is vitally important to know that the items you have in your carry-on bag are allowed through our security checkpoints,” Keys-Turner said.

Last year, 6,542 firearms were detected at 262 of 430 airport security checkpoints nationwide, including 88% that were loaded.

“I urge travelers to take a few moments before they come to the airport to refresh their familiarity with the proper procedures on how to pack a gun for a flight. Firearms should never be brought to the security checkpoint in carry-on luggage. Responsible gun owners know this,” Keys-Turner said.

Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms only in checked baggage if they are unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. The locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared, according to the TSA’s website.