Blacksburg man stopped with loaded gun at Richmond airport, TSA says

A Florida man was also stopped at the Richmond International Airport on Monday

LEFT: This loaded 9 mm handgun belonging to a Blacksburg man was stopped by TSA officers at a Richmond International Airport checkpoint. RIGHT: This .38 caliber revolver was detected by TSA officers at the Richmond International Airport checkpoint (TSA photo)

RICHMOND, Va. – Transportation Security Administration officers at Richmond International Airport stopped two men who had handguns in their carry-on bags on Monday.

A Blacksburg man was caught with a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic gun loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, and a Florida man was caught with an unloaded .38-caliber handgun and an additional 11 rounds in his carry-on bag, according to the TSA.

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In each instance, a TSA officer detected the guns inside carry-on bags as the man's belongings entered an X-ray machine. 

TSA immediately contacted the Richmond Airport Police Department, which responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the firearms and cited the men on state weapons charges. 

The two incidents are not believed to be related.

Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000. A typical first offense is $3,000.