INDIANAPOLIS — Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents caught nearly 70 handguns at the Indianapolis International Airport in 2022.
TSA announced its officers stopped 68 handguns at security checkpoints at the Indianapolis airport last year, a decrease from the 74 handguns found in 2021.
The federal agency shared 2022 numbers for all of Indiana’s major airports.
| Airport | 2022 | 2021 |
| Indianapolis International Airport (IND) | 68 | 74 |
| Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) | 10 | 6 |
| Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA) | 8 | 12 |
| South Bend International Airport (SBN) | 11 | 5 |
TSA officers stopped 6,542 firearms nationwide among 262 airports. That’s an increase from the 5,972 firearms caught last year. According to TSA, 88% of the guns were loaded.
The penalty for bringing a weapon to the airport is as high as $14,950. Passengers caught with firearms also get their TSA PreCheck® eligibility revoked for at least five years.
“Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is an expensive, dangerous mistake that far too many people are making,” Indiana TSA Federal Security Director Aaron Batt said. “Our TSA officers are doing a fantastic job preventing weapons from making their way onboard aircraft, but the responsibility falls to passengers to pack smart and keep prohibited items out of their baggage.”
You can pack a weapon in checked baggage as long as it is in a locked case separate from ammunition and declared when checking in.
For more details on TSA’s firearm rules, you can go to its website.