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Dramatic rise in confiscated guns at Dallas airports

Bradley Blackburn, WFAA 10:23 PM. CDT March 21, 2017

DALLAS -- New numbers from the TSA show that North Texas is leading the nation in a dubious distinction, the number of guns recovered at TSA checkpoints.

Since the beginning of the year, 39 guns have been recovered at DFW and an additional 24 at Dallas Love Field, according to numbers provided by the TSA and preliminary figures at their TSA Blog. Some 639 guns were collected at airports nationwide during that time period.

When TSA finds a gun in a carry-on, they call local police who take the weapon and then determine whether the passenger will face criminal charges. In addition, the TSA itself can assess a separate civil penalty which averages $3,000 for a loaded gun but can go as high as $11,000.

Fort Worth Attorney Alex Kim is a gun owner himself who has represented clients who have brought weapons to TSA checkpoints. He says that these cases are almost always accidental.

"These are people that are law abiding citizens, they've never broken the law before, that's why they have a concealed handgun license," said Kim. "It's usually when they're in a rush to catch a plane, something's running late, and they just forget. It's not packed in their bag. It's usually on their person, immediate possession."

Kim said all firearm cases at DFW are referred to the Tarrant County District Attorney, which often dismisses cases if the gun owner has a license to carry. Still, the misdemeanor charge can result in a $4,000 fine and up to a year in prison. He recommends that anyone who runs into this issue seek legal help.

The TSA says the number of guns recovered has increased dramatically nationwide in recent years, and Kim believes it's because more people are carrying weapons in their daily life.

"When you have a greater population carrying firearms, you're going to have a greater population that just naturally carries firearms into the wrong places. They didn't mean any harm by this, it's just one of those forgetful mistakes," he said.

It's a costly mistake that's easily avoided by checking a gun as baggage or leaving it at home.

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