TSA intercepts loaded gun at Pittsburgh International Airport; it’s the second gun stopped in 2 days

PITTSBURGH — TSA officials say guns were stopped at the Pittsburgh International Airport two days in a row.

Channel 11 previously reported about an unloaded gun in a carry-on bag stopped on Monday.

>>> TSA officers prevent unloaded gun from getting on plane at Pittsburgh International Airport

TSA says its officers stopped a gun with a bullet in the chamber on Tuesday. TSA says this is the 29th gun stopped at the airport in 2024.

A Pittsburgh man, Christopher Batson, 39, was arrested. The Allegheny County Police Department says he didn’t have a valid concealed carry permit.

“We are seeing an epidemic of guns at our checkpoints,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “If you own a firearm, do not bring it to a checkpoint. Just don’t. If you must travel with your gun, the proper way to do it is to make sure it’s unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case and taken to the airline check-in counter. The airline will ensure it is transported in the belly of the aircraft.”

Keys-Turner says every time a gun is stopped at a security checkpoint, the checkpoint lane has to stop until police can respond and the gun is secured, forcing other travelers to wait in line and causing delays.

Passengers can travel with guns only in checked baggage if they are 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 posted on its website.

Civil penalties for bringing a weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances.

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