BOISE, Idaho — Transportation Security Administration officers discovered two loaded handguns within 10 minutes of each other Tuesday morning at Boise Airport, officials said.
The first firearm was found at 5:40 a.m. in a passenger's carry-on bag during routine screening. The traveler claimed they forgot the gun was inside their bag.
Just 10 minutes later, officers detected a second loaded gun in another passenger's carry-on. That traveler expressed regret, telling TSA he was "extremely sorry" for leaving the firearm in his bag.
"I'm very proud of our TSA officers at Boise for detecting the two firearms in such a short amount of time," said James Spies, TSA Federal Security Director for Idaho. "Passengers carrying their firearms can be a danger to other travelers. The proper way to transport a firearm is in checked baggage. The firearm must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, and declared at the airline check-in counter."
The incidents bring the total number of firearms discovered at Boise Airport checkpoints to 15 so far this year.
TSA officials emphasized that bringing guns to security checkpoints creates safety risks and causes significant delays during the busy summer travel season. When a firearm is detected, screening in that lane has to halt completely until police arrive.
Passengers caught with firearms will face federal financial civil penalties determined on a case-by-case basis.
