TSA Seizes Record 2,200-Plus Firearms in 2014

Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 2:50 PM ET, Fri January 23, 2015

Regardless of whether it's an accident, traveling with your gun in your carry-on luggage, loaded or not, is a surefire way to get into a whole lot of trouble.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration seized a record 2,212 firearms from carry-on luggage in 2014, according to a year in review released by the Homeland Security Department agency on Friday.

That's an average of six firearms per day and more than the TSA has ever seized in a year's time.

A whopping 22 percent increase from the 1,813 seized in 2013, last year's numbers are even more frightening when you consider that 83 percent of those seized guns were loaded.

The top airport in terms of gun seizures in 2014 was Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, which accounted for 120 firearm catches. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson was a close second with 109, while Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport rounded out the top three with 78.

Still, 224 airports nationwide experienced at least one firearm seizure.

In addition to loaded firearms, TSA officials also discovered fireworks, propane, live flash bang grenades and a flare gun.

Interestingly, June 4, 2014 turned out to be a record day for TSA firearm seizures as 18 guns were discovered across the country over the course of the day. That eye-popping mark snapped the previous record of 13 in one day the year before.

Perhaps lost in the shocking number of seizures of 2014 is the fact that the figure has been increasing every year since 2008, when TSA officials confiscated fewer than 1,000 guns.

If the trend continues, last year's record is certain to fall in 2015.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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