TSA officer intercepts two guns in separate incidents at MSP Tuesday

A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer intercepted guns from two separate airline passengers Tuesday at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to a TSA press release.

An X-ray machine showed the first gun in a passenger’s carry-on bag around 4:45 a.m. Tuesday, and roughly six hours later, the same officer spotted a gun in a different passenger’s bag.

TSA did not provide any information about either airline passenger.

The two incidents made for a relatively rare day at MSP, as the airport only stopped 58 firearms at security checkpoints in 2022 — far from even one gun per day.

However, other recent TSA press releases highlight a concerning trend: The number of guns intercepted by airport officers has increased from 1,123 in 2010 to 6,542 in 2022.

The administration did not comment on why it believes the statistics have multiplied over the past decade, but it reminded anyone who wants to fly that they should review TSA rules before heading to the airport.

“Individuals who own firearms should familiarize themselves with regulations regarding where their weapons can and cannot be carried,” said Marty Robinson, federal security director for TSA in Minnesota.

Rules can be reviewed here.