TSA Finds 16.5 Percent More Guns at Airports in 2013

Eight out of ten guns discovered were loaded

  • Share
  • Read Later

Like TIME on Facebook for more breaking news and current events from around the globe!

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration found 257 more guns at airport security checkpoints in 2013 than in 2012, an increase of 16.5 percent, according to data released by the agency Friday.

In total, 1,813 firearms were found in carry-on luggage at airports in the United States, roughly five per day. The airport with the most guns found in the country was Atlanta (the busiest passenger airport in the country), followed by Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Phoenix and Denver.

Of the firearms discovered at airport security, 81 percent were found loaded, some with bullets in the chamber.

In November, 2013, Gerardo Hernandez became the first TSA officer to die in the line of duty when he was shot by Paul Ciancia at Los Angeles International Airport. Two other TSA officers were wounded in that incident.

A study based on incomplete TSA data from the Medill National Security Journalism Initiative published earlier this year found that gun discoveries jumped by 20 percent in 2013.

In 2013, the TSA screened 1,123,668 more passengers than it did in 2012, for a total of 638,705,790.