The number of guns discovered by US airport screeners in July tripled from a year earlier, despite a 75 percent drop in passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said in a press release on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th August, 2020) The number of guns discovered by US airport screeners in July tripled from a year earlier, despite a 75 percent drop in passengers, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said in a press release on Monday.
"TSA officers detected 15.3 guns per million people last month compared to 5.1 guns per million people screened during July 2019. The rate is particularly alarming, given that TSA screened about 75 percent fewer passengers in July 2020, over the previous year's volume," the release said.
TSA pointed out in the release that 80 percent of the time the confiscated guns were loaded.
"Travelers need to know that if they bring a gun to the security checkpoint, regardless of whether it is in a handbag, knapsack, roller-bag or strapped to their belt, it will be an inconvenient and expensive mistake on their part," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in the release.
The recommended Federal civil penalty for an unloaded firearm starts at $2,050 and $4,100 for a loaded gun. The penalty can go up to the statutory maximum of more than $10,250 per violation, depending on the circumstances, according to the release.
Airline passenger traffic has slowed to a trickle due novel coronavirus-related travel restrictions combined with fear of contracting the disease in cramped airline cabins.
The Second amendment to the US Constitution guarantees the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.
