BWI Airport sets record for most guns confiscated at security checkpoints in single year

LINTHICUM, Md. - Officials say 28 guns have been confiscated at security checkpoints at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in 2022 - setting the airport’s single year record.

According to the Transportation Security Administration, 23 of the guns have been loaded – including seven that were taken during a 10-day span in October.

"There seems to be a sudden epidemic of guns that travelers are bringing to our security checkpoints," said Christopher Murgia, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Maryland, in a statement. "I don’t know exactly why this is happening, but what I do know is that it needs to stop."

One of the weapons Transportation Security Administration was confiscated at BWI Airport in 2022 (TSA)

TSA says the most common excuse from travelers with guns is that they forgot the weapons were with them.

"Our officers are good at their jobs and are focused on their mission," Murgia said. "If you own a firearm, it is your responsibility to know where it is at all times and know that it cannot go through an airport security checkpoint. Claiming that you forgot that you had your gun with you is no excuse. The fact that the vast majority of the guns we catch are loaded is an accident waiting to happen."

Travelers caught with weapons could face civil penalties of up to nearly $14,000. Rules for legally traveling with firearms can be found online.

Nationwide, TSA officers detected 5,972 firearms on passengers or in their carry-on bags at checkpoints last year. Of the guns confiscated by TSA in 2021, about 86 percent were loaded.