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Telling West Virginia's Story
The Transportation Security Administration says a loaded handgun was discovered in a carry-on bag at Yeager Airport in Charleston.
The agency says airport police cited a South Charleston woman on a state weapon’s charge Sunday.
TSA officers saw the .22-caliber handgun in the bag during a routine screening at an X-ray machine checkpoint. The gun was loaded with five bullets.
Airport police confiscated the gun.
Transportation Security Administration officials have discovered a loaded handgun at Yeager Airport in Charleston.
The discovery of the gun marked the 10th time a person has brought a gun to the airport this year. In 2015, only two people brought in guns to the airport.
The TSA says in a news release that the pistol was discovered in a man’s carry-on bag at a security checkpoint Tuesday. The owner was issued a citation.
Yeager Airport police chief Joe Crawford encourages travelers to double-check their bags before attempting to pass through security checkpoints.
Officials say a Huntington man has been cited after trying to bring a loaded gun onto a plane at the Yeager Airport.
Yeager Airport Police Chief Joe Crawford tells local news outlets that officials cited 31-year-old Thomas Marcum with a violation of airport regulation following Wednesday’s incident.
The Transportation Security Administration says in a news release that a TSA agent found the gun in Marcum’s backpack as it moved along the conveyor belt through the security checkpoint X-ray machine. The gun was confiscated.
Crawford says Marcum told police he forgot the gun was in his bag.
Federal authorities are opening a temporary center at Yeager Airport to take applications for an expedited screening program.
The program allows U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to leave on their shoes, belt and light outerwear in airport checkpoint screening lanes. Travelers who enroll in the program also can keep their laptops in cases and compliant liquids and gels in carry-on bags.
The Transportation Security Administration says the temporary application center will be located in Yeager’s terminal.
Applicants must provide documents to confirm their citizenship or immigration status, along with their fingerprints. Applicants can make an appointment and complete their enrollment in-person or they can enroll at the center as a walk-in.
The Transportation Security Administration is planning overnight training exercises at Charleston’s Yeager Airport this week.
The TSA said bomb squad teams and others will undergo training in explosives-related incidents at the airport Tuesday through Thursday.
Residents shouldn’t be alarmed if they see or hear emergency vehicles in the airport’s vicinity, the TSA said.
The West Virginia Air National Guard, the Kanawha County sheriff’s department and State Police are among other participating agencies.
TSA West Virginia federal security director Karen Keys-Turner said the training is a valuable opportunity to test the capabilities of emergency responders as well as foster stronger working relationships among agencies.
The Transportation Security Administration is reporting an increase in the number of firearms that were discovered by TSA officers at checkpoints at West Virginia airports.
In 2014, the TSA says 6 firearms were detected at three West Virginia airports. That’s up two firearms from 2013.
At Yeager Airport, four firearms were found by TSA officers in 2014, double the number found in 2013.
At Tri-State Airport in Huntington, two firearms were found. That’s up by one from the previous year.
At Raleigh Airport, officers reported finding no weapons at the checkpoint. One was found in 2013.
