Airport security found 2,653 guns in carry-ons last year — and most of them were loaded

U.S. airport security found 2,653 firearms in carry-on bags last year, an entire 20 percent more than were discovered in 2014. Of those guns, 83 percent were loaded, The Los Angeles Times reports.

"The transport of firearms [...] in carry-on bags represents a threat to the safety and security of air travelers. Through increased training in detection methods, our officers are becoming more adept at intercepting these prohibited items," TSA Administrator Peter V. Neffenger said. The agency suspects that the uptick in the number of guns found in 2015 is actually due to better search techniques, though increased numbers of travelers could also factor in.

The TSA found firearms in carry-ons at 236 airports in 2015, with the most guns found at Dallas/Fort Worth and Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up