In 2020, TSA agents found guns in North Carolina airports at an alarming rate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The rate of guns discovered by TSA officers at North Carolina airports increased dramatically in 2020, according to officials.

Although airports had lower firearm seizure totals overall, the rate spiked due to fewer people traveling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The TSA said it found a total of 105 guns in travelers’ carry-on luggage at state airports last year -- more than half of them at Charlotte Douglas.

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Across North Carolina, the rate was one gun found per every 81,714 passengers screened. Nationally, that rate was one for every 99,583 screened.

Officials said the guns were discovered by TSA officers during routine carry-on screenings at security checkpoints.

Below is a breakdown of TSA firearm discoveries over the past three years at North Carolina airports:

TSA firearm discoveries at NC airports (TSA officials)

TSA screened approximately 8.58 million people departing at North Carolina airports in 2020, which is about 41% of the total screens in 2019.

Nationwide, approximately 324 million travelers were screened by TSA officers at airports last year. That’s just 39% of the approximately 824 million people screened in 2019.

In 2020, TSA also found 10.2 guns per million passengers across the country, which is twice the rate in 2019, and the highest rate since the beginning of the agency. In 2019, officers located five guns per million passengers.