ST. LOUIS – TSA officials report an alarming trend at Missouri airport checkpoints. New data shows that St. Louis Lambert International Airport and other airports around the state are near a record pace in guns seized midway through this year.

Over the first six months of 2023, TSA reports that officials confiscated 104 firearms from carry-on luggage at eight Missouri airports. Officials seized a state-record 215 guns from Missouri airport checkpoints last year, just seven above the pace for this year.

St. Louis Airport had a record of 102 guns seized at checkpoints in 2021. Halfway through the year, around 51 guns have been taken at checkpoints, right on pace with the airport’s record.


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Elsewhere in Missouri, Kansas City has seen 41 guns taken at its airport, Springfield has seen 11 taken at its airport and Columbia has seen one. Springfield is above its pace from last year, while Kansas City and Columbia are slightly below.

When a TSA officers sees the image of a firearm on an X-ray screen, TSA immediately notifies the local airport law enforcement agency. Officers respond to the security checkpoint, remove the firearm from the X-ray tunnel and talks to the traveler who reportedly had a firearm in their luggage.

TSA notes, in addition to potential criminal citations, travelers face civil penalties for bringing firearms to the security checkpoint. Officials evaluate each firearm incident on a case-by-case basis. TSA encourages travelers to visit the “Can I Bring?” feature on its website.