Airline employee in Norfolk tried to bring loaded gun through airport security, TSA says

An airline employee was caught bringing a firearm through security Monday at Norfolk International Airport, according to a TSA spokesperson.

According to a news release, TSA agents found the firearm, a .22 caliber gun loaded with 18 bullets, in the employee’s carry-on bag after the X-ray machine alerted for a closer inspection. The employee told agents that he had forgotten about the gun in his bag, TSA said.

The firearm was removed by the local police, who cited the man on a weapons charge, the release said. His employee airport ID was also confiscated, and penalties for carrying weapons can reach as high as $15,000. So far this year, 26 firearms have been brought to the airport in Norfolk, inching toward last year’s record high of 27 guns at the TSA checkpoint.

Eliza Noe, [email protected]

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