Police arrest man at Newark Liberty International Airport after TSA finds gun in backpack

On the morning of November 1, 2024, a Ridgewood, New Jersey man was arrested by local police officers at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) after officers from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a handgun among the items in the man's carry-on luggage. When the man's blue backpack was put through the X-ray machine in Terminal C at a TSA checkpoint at the airport, TSA officers discovered the firearm and The person in question was immediately removed from the line.

Shortly after this incident, Port Police officers were immediately alerted, both of whom confiscated the firearm (which TSA images indicate is a small handgun) and arrested the man in question. During further questioning, the man revealed that he had been carrying the weapon because he had previously been the victim of several crimes. This is not the first incident of this kind in recent weeks. A man was arrested for trying to hide a dismantled handful in a LEGO box at Newark Airport earlier this month.

Photo: Transportation Security Administration

TSA officials said that while this could be an understandable reason for owning a weapon, the man was unaware of strict regulations prohibiting carrying firearms on board aircraft. As a result, he is likely to face hefty fines for his violations. TSA officials remind the public that weapons may only be carried on board an aircraft if they have been placed in checked baggage. It is currently unclear whether the person in question was aware of this illegally taking a firearm through airport security.

A difficult situation to manage

In the United States, extensive regulations allow private individuals to carry and possess firearms. However, these pose a significant safety risk if allowed in the cabin of an aircraft. Therefore, TSA policy only allows passengers to transport firearms in the hold of an aircraft if they are in an individual's checked baggage.

Photo: Transportation Security Administration

The weapon must always be stored in a locked hard case and fully declared to the airline. In addition, all ammunition must be removed from the weapon. Additional guidelines will be posted on the TSA website. Occasionally, these guidelines are ignored by people unfamiliar with the rules surrounding the transportation of firearms, as was the case at the Portland International Jetport (PWM) last year.

Related

According to the TSA, 93% of the more than 5,000 guns found at security checkpoints this year were loaded

This year, about 20 firearms have been intercepted at TSA checkpoints every day.

The passenger in Newark today failed to follow appropriate guidelines

Needless to say, at Newark Airport today, the person failed to put his gun in his checked baggage nor did he register it with the airline he was traveling with. As a result, he now faces significant civil penalties, which could be up to $15,000, depending on the circumstances of the incident, which emerge pending further investigation.

Despite extensive warnings to the public, the TSA has continued to face problems related to the illegal transportation of firearms for years. In a statement regarding today's incident, Thomas Carter, the organization's federal security director for New Jersey, said:

“Weapons are not allowed to be carried in the cabin of an aircraft. Therefore, not only will this person face criminal charges from the police, but they will also face a large federal civil fine, which will likely result in multiple penalties for them. Thousands of dollars should never go through an airport security checkpoint.”

Ultimately, passengers are responsible for complying with all relevant TSA guidelines. The TSA has determined that those who violate TSA policies will face loss of TSA PreCheck privileges in addition to fines.