China News Service, February 21. According to the Associated Press, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will intercept a total of 6,542 guns at airport security checkpoints across the country in 2022, an average of 18 guns per day.
The figure again hit a record high, sparking concerns about the increasing number of people carrying weapons.
According to the Associated Press, except for 2020, which was affected by the epidemic, since 2010, the number of weapons intercepted at US airport security checkpoints has increased every year.
Atlanta airport is the airport with the most guns intercepted in 2022, with crews intercepting a total of 448 guns for the year.
According to the Associated Press, the top ten airports with the most guns intercepted in 2022 include Dallas, Austin, Houston, Nashville, Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver and three airports in Florida.
TSA Director David Pekoske said: "What we are seeing at the security checkpoint is a true reflection of the situation in American society, and now more and more people in society are carrying guns."
Typically, when TSA agents spot an item on an X-ray machine that might be a weapon, they stop the conveyor belt, leave the bag inside the machine and call the local police, The Associated Press reported.
The implications of carrying a firearm through security vary by state law, ranging from being arrested and having your gun confiscated to giving it to a non-boarding companion and continuing the journey.
If certain procedures are followed, unloaded firearms can also be placed in checked baggage and arrive with passengers at their destination.
People who bring firearms into security checkpoints face federal fines, according to reports.
In 2022, TSA has increased the maximum fine to $14,950 as a deterrent.
The Associated Press stated that almost everyone who had a gun seized claimed to have "forgot to have a gun."
Pekoske said he wasn't sure if the "I forgot" excuse was true every time, but regardless, carrying firearms through airport security must be curbed.