CLEVELAND — The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) released numbers related to firearms detected at security checkpoints at airports in Ohio and around the country on Wednesday.
In the report, the TSA revealed that 6,542 firearms were stopped at 262 different airports in 2022. That number surpasses the previous record of 5,972. 88% of the firearms stopped in 2022 were loaded.
So where does Cleveland Hopkins International Airport fall within these numbers?
The TSA reported numbers from 2018-2022 for Cleveland Hopkins and they show a troubling trend.
Firearms caught by TSA at Cleveland Hopkins airport checkpoints:
- 2022: 35
- 2021: 40
- 2020: 19
- 2019: 26
- 2018: 23
While the overall amount of firearms from 2021 to 2022 was slightly down, it was still significantly higher than previous years.
“Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is an expensive, dangerous mistake that far too many people are making,” Ohio TSA Federal Security Director Don Barker said. “Our TSA officers are doing a fantastic job preventing weapons from making their way onboard aircraft, but the responsibility falls to passengers to pack smart and keep prohibited items out of their baggage.”
As far as how Cleveland Hopkins fared compared to other airports in Ohio, the TSA says 40 firearms were stopped at John Glenn Columbus International Airport last year, 13 were stopped at Dayton International Airport, and two were detected at Akron-Canton Airport.
Nationwide, the airport with the most guns caught by the TSA in 2022 was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with 448. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport ranked second at 385.
The penalty for a violation varies based on circumstance, but can be as high as $14,950. TSA PreCheck can also be revoked for at least five years for passengers caught with firearms in their possession.
Here is how to travel with a firearm legally according to the TSA:
"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."