Third firearm this year confiscated by TSA at South Bend International Airport

Tribune Staff Report
·2 min read
Transportation Security Administration officers confiscated this firearm from a passenger’s carry-on bag at South Bend International Airport on June 4, 2023.
Transportation Security Administration officers confiscated this firearm from a passenger’s carry-on bag at South Bend International Airport on June 4, 2023.

SOUTH BEND — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at South Bend International Airport (SBN) prevented a passenger from bringing a handgun onto their flight Sunday.

According to a press release, a TSA officer spotted the image of a handgun at about 5:45 a.m. during the routine screening of carry-on luggage and alerted the airport's public safety department. An officer arrived and took possession of the bag. The firearm was loaded with 13 rounds, none chambered.

This was the third firearm stopped at the airport this year. In 2022, 11 firearms were detected at the airport.

Firearms found: TSA confiscated 11 guns at South Bend airport in 2022, up from five the two years before

“As summer travel picks up, these incidents present a danger to our dedicated workforce, and the traveling public,” Acting Indiana TSA Federal Security Director Kevin Bidwell said in the release. “We encourage all travelers to know the exact location of their firearm at all times and to pack their luggage starting with a completely empty bag to ensure no prohibited items are accidentally brought to the checkpoint.”

TSA recently announced that the penalty for bringing weapons to the airport increased and can reach as high as $14,950, depending on the circumstances. TSA determines the penalty amount for a violation based on the circumstances in each case. TSA will continue to revoke TSA PreCheck eligibility for at least five years for passengers caught with a firearm in their possession.

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.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: TSA confiscates firearm at South Bend International Airport