Guns found at airports rose in 2022

In 2022 in Arkansas, U.S. Transportation Security Administration agents discovered 59 firearms in passengers’ carry-on baggage, up six from 2021 and nearly twice as many as the 30 reported in 2020.

According to TSA, the most guns — 35 — were confiscated at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field in Little Rock, which tied the number confiscated the previous year. Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Highfill had the second highest total for 2022 with 20 firearms seized — which was nearly double the previous year.

The report said 29 guns were seized at Clinton National in 2018, 23 in 2019, 22 in 2020, then 35 each in 2021 and 2022. At Northwest Arkansas National Airport, 7 guns were confiscated in 2018, 10 in 2019, 6 in 2020, 11 in 2021 and 20 in 2022.

Officials from the Northwest Arkansas airport reported that only 17 firearms were seized in 2022 — down three from the 20 recorded in the TSA report.

“There’s a possibility that some things TSA categorize as a firearm varies from what we do,” said Alex English, public affairs manager for Northwest Arkansas National Airport. “I’m not sure how TSA records and tracks that, and I can’t speak for their findings.”

She said the three additional confiscations by TSA could be stun guns or other prohibited items that the Northwest Arkansas airport did not categorize as a firearm.

Regional airports in Fort Smith and Texarkana accounted for two guns seized at each airport in 2018, zero the following year, one each in 2020 and three each in 2021. In 2022, only one firearm was discovered at the Fort Smith regional airport and TSA agents seized three guns at the Texarkana regional airport.