Record 30 guns caught in May at checkpoints

A record 30 guns were caught at security checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in May, the most ever for an airport in a single month, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

While Hartsfield-Jackson is the busiest airport for total passengers, it does not have the most passengers going through security checkpoints.

That’s because the majority of passengers in Atlanta are con n ecting a nd go through security at other airports. Los Angeles International, New York’s JFK, Chicago’s O’Hare and San Francisco International have each processed more passengers through security checkpoints than Atlanta.

TSA said the previous monthly airport record was 27 guns in September 2016 in Atlanta.

Last month, TSA officers at Hartsfield-Jackson caught four guns on a single day, May 3. They caught another four on May 6, and three on May 26.

For the year through May, a total of 108 guns have been caught at Atlanta airport checkpoints, up from 91 in the same period last year. That’s out of 1,700 caught at TSA checkpoints across the nation so far this year.

TSA says passeng e rs should check their carry-on bags for prohibited items before heading to the airport.

Those who take guns through an airport security checkpoint can be fined up to $13,000 and could face federal charges.

SOURCE: TSA One of the firearms detected at a HartsfieldJackson checkpoint in May.