Woman With Loaded Gun Caught At Mitchell International Airport

MILWAUKEE, WI –Authorities say a Milwaukee woman was stopped by Transportation Security Administration officers at Mitchell International Airport on Thursday, Feb. 13, when they detected a purple 9 mm caliber handgun loaded with 10 bullets including one in the chamber, in her carry-on bag.

TSA officials notified the Sheriff’s office, who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the gun and detained the woman for questioning prior to allowing her to return the handgun to her vehicle.

According to transportation officials, when a person shows up at a checkpoint with a firearm, the checkpoint lane comes to a standstill until the police resolve the incident. Guns at checkpoints can delay travelers from getting to their gates.

Mitchell International Airport Guns caught at checkpoints

16: 2019
16: 2017
12: 2016
11: 2018
6: 2015
2: As of Feb. 13, 2020

Earlier this year, an Ozaukee County man became the first person caught this year by the Transportation Security Administration with a firearm at a Mitchell International Airport checkpoint.

Authorities said he was stopped early on the morning of Jan. 21 with a .38 caliber handgun loaded with six bullets. TSA officers said they caught the handgun when the man removed his coat and placed it on the conveyor belt go through the checkpoint X-ray machine.

According to TSA officers, they detected the gun inside the front zippered pocket of his coat. The man, a resident of Mequon told officials that he did not know that he was carrying his loaded gun because he thought it was in a different jacket. TSA contacted the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department, whose officers came to the checkpoint, confiscated the gun and detained the man for questioning prior to citing him on state weapons charges.

Guns Caught Across The U.S., Officials Say

Nationwide last year, 4,432 firearms were discovered in carry-on bags at checkpoints across the country, averaging about 12.1 firearms per day, approximately a 5 percent increase nationally in firearm discoveries from the total of 4,239 detected in 2018. 87 percent of firearms detected at checkpoints last year were loaded, transportation officials said in a news release Friday.

A typical first offense for carrying a handgun into a checkpoint is $4,100. The complete list of penalties is posted online. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Travelers should also contact their airline as they may have additional requirements for traveling with firearms and ammunition.