Editor’s note: Article updated with information from Syracuse airport police.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- A loaded handgun was found in an Erie County man’s carry-on bag at the Syracuse Hancock International Airport on Saturday, officials said.
The 9mm handgun was fully loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, according to a news release Monday from U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The gun belonged to a 44-year-old man from Clarence, who was not identified by the TSA. He had a state gun permit for the handgun, officials said.
A Transportation Security officer detected the firearm in an X-Ray machine during carry-on security screening, officials said. The man told TSA officials that he did not know the firearm was in his bag, they said.
TSA officials said the man was allowed to catch his flight following the incident. The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police confiscated the handgun, they said.
When the TSA finds a person with a gun, they turn the person over to the local police department for possible prosecution.
The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Police Department, through an airport spokesperson, declined to release the man’s name. They said, after consulting with the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, the man will not be charged.
Anyone who tries to bring a gun on a plane can face a maximum civil penalty of $15,000.
Flight passengers can travel with guns as long as they are unloaded, kept in checked bags and are packed in a hard-sided, locked case, officials said. Guns must be declared at the airline’s check-in counter.
Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at dstevenson@syracuse.com
Ad Choices