Pittsburgh Airport Security Confiscates 5th Gun in Past 8 Days

Oct. 22—For the fifth time in eight days, a handgun has been confiscated from a passenger at Pittsburgh International Airport, authorities said.

On Friday night, a California man was arrested at the airport when security officers found a carefully concealed Sig Sauer 9mm handgun in a passenger's duffel bag at the main security checkpoint, Allegheny County Police said.

Shane Woods, 20, of Lancaster, Calif., was charged with violating illegal possession of a firearm. Police said they intended to take him to Allegheny County Jail, where he would be arraigned later.

The gun had been disassembled and wrapped inside various pieces of clothing when security officials found it in the duffel bag at about 7:25 p.m. The security officers alerted Allegheny County Police and the firearm and ammunition was confiscated. The FBI also was notified.

Security officials at the airport have found five guns over the past seven days.

A loaded .40-caliber handgun was spotted in a Canonsburg man's backpack at a security checkpoint on Monday. The TSA found a loaded handgun in the carry-on bag of a Pittsburgh man last Friday, and another loaded gun last Saturday in the carry-on bag of Colorado man.

On Tuesday, a 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm without a license when security officers found a loaded 9mm handgun in the man's backpack at the main checkpoint.

Passengers who bring firearms into an airport checkpoint can face federal civil fines from the TSA of up to $10,000.

Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joe by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .

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