NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport (ORF) prevented a Chesapeake woman from bringing a revolver into a flight on Thursday.
According to officials, on June 27, a gun was detected after the woman entered the security checkpoint, where the X-ray unit alerted on her carry-on bag. Local police then confiscated the gun and cited the woman on a weapons charge.
“Thursday was the fifth busiest day in TSA history, and when checkpoints are this busy, it is that much more important that travelers know the contents of their carry-on items and that they know nothing prohibited is inside,” TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport Robin “Chuck” Burke said. “When individuals bring their firearms to our checkpoints, it represents a risk to everyone in the area and slows down the checkpoint screening process for other travelers.”
On June 16, Norfolk TSA set a record for the most people screened at the airport in a single day, with over 11,000 people passing through the checkpoint.
“Our officers are good at their jobs and even with sky-high checkpoint volume, they remain alert and vigilant in screening individuals who are arriving at our checkpoints,” Burke said.
Individuals caught with a firearm at the airport, in addition to being criminally cited by police, also face a financial civil penalty of up to $15,000 depending on the circumstances.
Firearms caught by TSA officers at Norfolk International Airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2024
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024As of June 27 |
| Guns caught at Norfolk International Airport (ORF) checkpoints | 14 | 10 | 21 | 15 | 12 | 23 | 27 | 29 | 19 |
For details on how to properly travel with a firearm while on a flight, visit the TSA’s website here.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
