TSA Finds Recording Breaking-Firearms, Every Single Year Since 2010

‣ Published on Jan 12, 2024

From a TSA press release on January 10, 2024:

During 2023, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) intercepted a total of 6,737 firearms at airport security checkpoints, preventing them from getting into the secure areas of the airport and onboard aircraft. Approximately 93% of these firearms were loaded. This total surpasses the previous year’s record of 6,542 firearms stopped at checkpoints and represents the highest one-year total in TSA’s history.

In my mind, 6,737 is mind-boggling. I mean, we are talking about airport security checkpoints here. Whenever I saw the signs of firearms at security checkpoints, I've always thought, who would be so dumb to carry firearms?

This got me interested in the historical numbers. Luckily, last year's press release is very handy and includes a chart for number of found firearms since 2010:

Number of firearms found by TSA from 2010 to 2022

Except for 2020, due to the pandemic, it's been record-breaking every fucking year. Last year was six times that of 2010.

It's just mind-boggling. I hate this part of America.