Transportation Security Administration officials at the Boise Airport discovered a loaded gun in a passenger’s carry-on baggage early Wednesday morning.
The firearm was a Smith and Wesson Bodyguard revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition, according to TSA spokeswoman Lori Dankers.
A TSA officer discovered the gun at 5:10 a.m. in the bag of a woman traveling to the Phoenix International Airport. “Upon seeing the image of the firearm on the x-ray screen, TSA notified the Boise Police Department, which responded to the security checkpoint,” Dankers said.
It is unclear what action Boise Police officers took thereafter.
This is the twentieth firearm this year that TSA officers have discovered in carry-on bags of travelers leaving the Boise Airport.
It is also the second firearm TSA discovered this month.
“On August 10th, a TSA officer discovered a loaded Springfield Arms XDS in the carry-on of a male passenger ticketed for travel to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. In all of 2016, TSA officers at Boise discovered 18 guns in carry-on baggage,” said Dankers.
So far in 2017, TSA officers nationwide have discovered more than 2,300 firearms in passengers’ carry-on bags. During all of 2016, TSA officers found 3,391 firearms at security checkpoints across the country.
The TSA reminds travelers that firearms, ammunition, firearm parts and realistic replicas of firearms are always prohibited in carry-on baggage. However, such items can be transported in checked baggage, provided the traveler declares them to the airline during the ticket counter check-in process.
Firearms in checked baggage must be unloaded and stored in a locked, hard-sided container. TSA urges passengers to contact their airline for specific firearm and ammunition policies and to check local laws related to the carrying and transport of firearms.
