LA CROSSE, Wis. — TSA officers stopped a man at the La Crosse Regional Airport from carrying a loaded handgun and a magazine with 12 bullets onto an airplane on Tuesday, a release said.
A TSA officer discovered the .22 caliber handgun in the Washington man’s carry-on bag around 5:15 a.m. A police officer took possession of the gun and escorted the man away from the checkpoint after TSA officials alerted the La Crosse Police Department.
TSA issues civil penalties to travelers who bring guns to security checkpoints, with a first offense for a loaded handgun typically being $4,100.
“Travel during this holiday season is ramping up and firearms continue to be detected at airport security checkpoints,” Wisconsin’s TSA Federal Security Director Mark Lendvay said. “During this pandemic, our sharp TSA officers remain vigilant while keeping our airports safe and secure as possible.”
The identity of the man is unknown at this time. This is the first firearm detected at the airport this year.
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