HUNTINGTON, WV (WOAY) – A Jackson County, WV, woman was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers at Huntington Tri-State Airport on Saturday, June 13, when they detected a 9 mm handgun in her carry-on bag. It was not loaded.
TSA officials notified the local police, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the gun and detained the woman, a resident of Cottageville, W.Va., for questioning prior to citing her on weapons charges.
When an individual shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.
“There may be a pandemic, but our TSA officers remain vigilant in their duties,” said John Allen, TSA’s Federal Security Director for West Virginia. “During this pandemic, we are doing what we can to reduce touch-points to help prevent any cross-contamination, but when someone has a prohibited item in their carry-on bag, it means that our TSA officers are going to have to open that bag and go inside to remove it, thus creating additional touch-points. This is the time to take extra care not to have anything prohibited in your carry-on bag before you leave your house to come to the airport.”
