Nearly 100 firearms found at Ohio airports in 2022

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Transportation Security Administration detected nearly 100 firearms at Ohio airports in 2022.

TSA stopped the most handguns at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, finding 40 among passengers there. It found 35 guns at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, 13 at Dayton International Airport, two at Akron-Canton Airport and two at Rickenbacker International Airport. Guns found at Cleveland Hopkins marked a decrease from the 43 detected in 2021, while guns stopped at John Glenn increased from the 33 found the year prior.

TSA screened about 761 million passengers and crew at airports nationwide in 2022, detecting one firearm for every 116,394 travelers screened. Officers stopped 6,542 guns at checkpoints at 262 different U.S. airports, surpassing the previous record of 5,972 guns caught at checkpoints last year. 

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is first nationally with 448 guns detected, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport second with 385, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranked third for 298 guns found, Nashville International Airport fourth with 213 and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport fifth with 196.

Of those guns found in U.S. airports, 88%, were loaded. Passengers discovered carrying a firearm at the airport can be penalized with fines reaching $14,950. TSA determines the penalty amount for a violation based on the circumstances in each case.

“Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is an expensive, dangerous mistake that far too many people are making,” said Ohio TSA Federal Security Director Don Barker.

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. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm here.