Loaded 9mm gun seized from carry-on bag at Ronald Reagan Airport

WASHINGTON - A North Carolina man was stopped by TSA from carrying his loaded handgun onto a flight.

TSA officials at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stopped a man on Monday, March 18, with a 9mm gun that was loaded with six bullets. The gun was detected in a carry-on bag belonging to the man.

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Officials say the gun was detected as the man entered the security checkpoint. The X-ray unit alerted the TSA to take a closer look inside the carry-on bag. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police confiscated the gun and cited the individual on a weapons charge. TSA does not confiscate firearms, law enforcement does.

Guns are not permitted through the security checkpoint and the man now faces a stiff financial civil penalty from TSA. The penalty for carrying weapons can reach a maximum of $15,000.