Gun found early Saturday morning at Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint

A gun was found in a purse at the Pittsburgh International Airport on Saturday morning.

The Allegheny County Police Department says TSA officers saw the handgun in a passenger’s purse at the airport’s main security checkpoint around 5:15 a.m.

County police responded to the airport and identified the passenger as Lynda Lee, 61, of Creighton. The department learned Lee did not possess a valid Pennsylvania concealed carry permit for the gun.

Police charged Lee with a felony charge of carrying a firearm without a license. The FBI was also notified of the incident.

Passengers who bring guns to airport checkpoints can face federal civil fines of up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances.

Passengers can travel with guns only in checked baggage if unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then, the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website.

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