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TSA: Passengers found with guns, knives, even rocks at Mississippi airports

Majority of the guns were loaded, airport security official says
Brooklyn Joyner
Producer/MMJ
TSA: Passengers found with guns, knives, even rocks at Mississippi airports

Majority of the guns were loaded, airport security official says

THE TSA AT JACKSON-EVERS AIRPORT SAID THE TREND OF PASSENGERS TRYING TO BRING GUNS WITH THEM ONTO PLANES IS STILL ON THE RISE, THE FEDERAL SECURITY DIRECTOR SAID MORE THAN HALF OF THE GUNS THAT THEY FOUND AT SECURITY CHECKPOINTS STATEWIDE HAVE BEEN RIGHT HERE IN JACKSON. BUT IT’S NOT JUST GUNS. AGENTS HAVE ALSO STOPPED PEOPLE AT SECURITY WITH KNIVES, STUN GUNS, EVEN LARGE ROCKS. AIRPORT SECURITY IS REMINDING FLIERS IF YOU TRY TO TAKE ANY KIND OF WEAPON THROUGH A TSA CHECKPOINT. >> THOSE PRIVILEGES WOULD ALSO BE LOST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, POSSIBLY PERMANENT. >> REMEMBER, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE ANY KIND OF FIREARM WITH YOU WHEN YOU TRAVEL, IT HAS TO BE STORED IN A HA
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TSA: Passengers found with guns, knives, even rocks at Mississippi airports

Majority of the guns were loaded, airport security official says
Brooklyn Joyner
Producer/MMJ
The Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is seeing an uptick in passengers trying to bring weapons onto planes. Knives, guns and even rocks have been found by Transportation Security Administration's agents in the past few weeks. “You are going to get arrested 100% if you go through that checkpoint with a firearm,” said Kim Jackson, the airport’s federal security director. It’s a serious issue that will land offenders in jail. Jackson said there had been a large number of guns spotted by TSA at airports across the state, but more than half were in Jackson.“Nearly every one of the guns that I mentioned that were detected this year were loaded and also had an ammunition chamber,” Jackson said. “An accidental discharge can also lead to tragedy.”Jackson said the number of firearm incidents at the TSA checkpoints has risen from 16 in 2021 to 35 in 2023.“If these weapons are allowed on an aircraft, you can use this weapon here to harm somebody or try to breach the cockpit doors,” Jackson said. Airport security said firearms must be properly tucked away in a hard case with TSA-approved locks, and it has to be checked in as baggage. Go to TSA.gov for more information.
JACKSON, Miss. —

The Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is seeing an uptick in passengers trying to bring weapons onto planes.

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Knives, guns and even rocks have been found by Transportation Security Administration's agents in the past few weeks.

“You are going to get arrested 100% if you go through that checkpoint with a firearm,” said Kim Jackson, the airport’s federal security director.

It’s a serious issue that will land offenders in jail. Jackson said there had been a large number of guns spotted by TSA at airports across the state, but more than half were in Jackson.

“Nearly every one of the guns that I mentioned that were detected this year were loaded and also had an ammunition chamber,” Jackson said. “An accidental discharge can also lead to tragedy.”

Jackson said the number of firearm incidents at the TSA checkpoints has risen from 16 in 2021 to 35 in 2023.

“If these weapons are allowed on an aircraft, you can use this weapon here to harm somebody or try to breach the cockpit doors,” Jackson said.

Airport security said firearms must be properly tucked away in a hard case with TSA-approved locks, and it has to be checked in as baggage. Go to TSA.gov for more information.