Guns at the Pittsburgh airport: Are the people caught actually facing significant punishment?

Just about every week, you hear us reporting on another gun that’s been found at the security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport.

Despite repeated warnings, passengers are caught with them time and again.

So we wanted to know, what exactly happens to those who are caught with a gun there, and are they really facing significant punishment?

11 Investigates learned that people who bring guns through airport security are rarely prosecuted.

“The gun has to be found. It has to be investigated. It has to be rendered safe,” Sgt. Jason Donaldson with the Allegheny County Police Department said. “It poses a substantial risk to everybody, including the traveling public.”

In 2024, 42 people brought a gun to Pittsburgh International Airport. If they had a concealed carry permit, under state law, there are no charges that can be filed.

Of the 42 people stopped, 14 were initially charged by Allegheny County police, mostly because they were carrying a firearm without a concealed carry permit. But only three of the cases actually resulted in criminal prosecution, according to online court records.

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala told Channel 11 in a statement:

“Unless the person does not have a valid concealed carry permit, not eligible to carry a firearm, or clearly smuggling the firearm on to the airplane, there would not be a crime committed... There are states that have more specific firearms crimes covering airports, but Pennsylvania does not.”

State Rep. Dan Frankel is working to introduce new state legislation.

“This has got to stop,” he told Channel 11.

Under it, a first-time offender would face third-degree misdemeanor charges, have their gun license revoked for three years and have to complete a gun safety course. Second-time offenders will have their gun license revoked permanently. 

“I think we want to, with respect to understanding that it is a federal regulation, also give local law enforcement the opportunity to have a role in terms of penalizing folks,” Frankel said.

TSA can impose civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation.

We reached out to TSA about what penalties were actually imposed for each of the 42 people at Pittsburgh International Airport who were found with a gun last year.

TSA officials sais they could not release that information without a Freedom of Information Act request, which Channel 11 submitted April 7 -- but we have not yet received a response. 

However -- according to Forbes -- nationally, TSA says it levied nearly $23 million in civil fines against travelers last year -- a 10% jump from 2023.

“This is about how you behave when you own a firearm and how to be responsible,” Frankel said. “And folks who are going through the TSA with firearms are not acting responsibly.”

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