TSA has stopped a record number of guns at Indianapolis’ airport, and the year isn’t over

A record number of firearms have been found on travelers passing through Indianapolis International Airport, according to a news release issued Monday by the Transportation Security Administration, and the amount could grow even higher.

TSA officers at Indianapolis International Airport discovered three firearms at its security checkpoints Sunday, bringing the total number of guns detected this year to 75 — the most it’s ever been.

The previous annual record was 74 firearms in 2021, according to the news release. Last year, 68 firearms were stopped at Indianapolis’ busiest airport in 2022.

“It’s troubling that we’ve set an all-time record for firearms stopped at the checkpoint with more than three months still left in the year,” said Indiana TSA Federal Security Director Aaron Batt in a news release. “In addition to the serious safety risk these incidents pose, they also slow down the screening process for all passengers when we’re forced to temporarily close down a lane.”

Sunday’s discovery of three firearms happened in two separate incidents, officials said. The first occurred at 6:20 a.m. and the second at 9 a.m. All three firearms were loaded.

The Indianapolis Airport Authority police were alerted and confiscated the weapon, a news release stated.

Bringing a gun to the airport can cost you.

Batt urged airline passengers to think twice before packing a gun inside their carry-on bags. The penalty amount for a firearm violation can cost airline travelers as much as $14,950 depending on the circumstances, officials said, and TSA can revoke a passenger’s TSA PreCheck® eligibility for up to five years in addition to other penalties.

TSA recommends passengers do their homework and learn about the rules, conditions and possible fees if they wish to travel with a firearm.

Can you travel with a firearm on an airplane?

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, officials said.

Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins, are prohibited in carry-on baggage, officials said, but may be transported in checked baggage. Replica firearms, including firearm replicas that are toys, can be transported in checked baggage only. Rifle scopes are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage.

The laws for possessing a firearm can vary from state to state and TSA recommends travelers check firearm laws in the jurisdictions of where they’re flying to well in advance of arriving at the airport.

TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers, they said, should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.

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John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.