CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — A Buffalo man is facing a possible fine for allegedly bringing a loaded gun through airport security.
The incident happened on March 18 at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. A spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says the man is accused of having a loaded gun in his front pants pocket.
Officials say when the security screening process began, the man realized he had the gun in his pocket. The .380 caliber gun was loaded with eight bullets, with one in the chamber.
The screening process was stopped and the TSA contacted the NFTA Police who came and confiscated the gun.
“I would like to acknowledge my appreciation to the TSA officers who acted quickly and to the NFTA police officers who quickly responded to the checkpoint and ensured that the man did not retain control of his loaded gun,” said Bart R. Johnson, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Upstate New York.
“I would also like to express my disappointment in a licensed and trained New York State pistol permit holder who did not have enough self-awareness to remember that he was coming to the airport and that he shouldn’t be carrying his gun on him. Instead, he entered an active security checkpoint with a loaded handgun at his fingertips and created a potentially dangerous situation,” Johnson added.
Guns are not permitted to be carried through security checkpoints. Firearms must be unloaded and then packed in a hard-sided locked case and taken to the airline check-in to be declared.
The man faces a civil penalty from the TSA. The maximum fine could be $15,000.
