Rate of guns seized at airport checkpoints jumped in 2020
There were fewer air travelers in the United States last year, but a higher percentage of them were carrying guns. Author: Associated Press Updated: 10:10 AM CST January 26, 2021
WASHINGTON Security screeners confiscated guns at airport checkpoints at a record pace last year although the total number of guns dropped along with the steep plunge in travelers because of the pandemic.
The Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday that screeners found 3,257 firearms on passengers or in their carry-on bags in 2020, or about 10 for every million travelers. About 83% of the guns were loaded.
The rate was double that in 2019, when screeners found 5 guns for every million passengers. However, with 500 million more travelers screened in 2019, TSA officers found a record 4,432 guns that year.
Twice as many guns seized at US airports last year Cathy Adams
Twice as many guns were confiscated from US passengers last year than in 2019.
Officers from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) caught approximately 10 firearms per million passengers in 2020, compared to five guns per million the year before.
It marked the highest rate in the agency’s history.
In total, 3,257 guns were found in passenger’s carry-on bags at checkpoints last year, despite the number of travellers falling by 500 million due to the pandemic.
Of the guns found, 83 per cent were loaded, said TSA.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was where most guns were seized - 220 last year. In second and third place were Dallas Fort Worth Airport and Houston’s George Bush International Airport, where 176 and 126 guns were found respectively.
TSA firearm catch rate doubles in 2020 TSA workings checking baggage before boarding. (Source: Jeremy) By KOLD News 13 Staff | January 26, 2021 at 11:41 AM MST - Updated January 26 at 11:41 AM
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers detected twice as many firearms per million passengers screened at airport security checkpoints nationwide in 2020 compared to 2019, and at a significantly higher rate than any other year since the agency’s inception. Throughout 2020, TSA caught approximately 10 firearms per million passengers screened as compared to about 5 firearms per million passengers screened in 2019.
TSA officers discovered a total of 3,257 firearms on passengers or in their carry-on bags at checkpoints, although total passengers screened in 2020 fell by 500 million versus 2019 due to the pandemic. Of those firearms caught in 2020, about 83% were loaded. In 2019, TSA officers stopped a record 4,432 firearms, of which 87% wer
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport led the nation with 220 guns found in 2020. DFW Airport was second, followed by Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Denver International Airport.
Though the number of guns detected is down from a record 4,432 firearms in 2019, officers found twice as many firearms per million passengers screened at airport security checkpoints nationwide.
Throughout 2020, TSA caught approximately 10 firearms per million passengers screened as compared to about 5 firearms per million passengers screened in 2019, the agency said. The catch rate is the highest the TSA has seen since its founding 19 years ago.
Those numbers point to the dramatic decrease in passenger demand about 500 million fewer passengers than in 2019.
Atlanta tops list of most guns found at security checkpoints in 2020
ATLANTA, GA (WGCL) Atlanta topped the list for the most firearms found at airport security checkpoints last year, according to a 2020 gun statistics report released by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
TSA officers discovered 220 firearms at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in 2020, ranking Atlanta number one on the list of firearm catches at airport security checkpoints across the country. The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport came in second with 176 firearms discovered.
The data shows a considerable spike in the number of guns found at airport security checkpoints. TSA officers detected twice as many firearms per million passengers screened nationwide in 2020 compared to 2019, and at a significantly higher rate than any other year since the agency’s inception.