PHOENIX — Phoenix Sky Harbor is near the top of a nationwide list the airport doesn't want to be a part of.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, Sky Harbor ranked third for most firearms intercepted at security in 2024.
The TSA data shows 247 firearms were recovered at security checkpoints at Sky Harbor last year.
That number is up slightly from 235 recovered at Sky Harbor in 2023.
Only Atlanta and Dallas-Forth Worth recovered more guns in 2024.
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More than 900 million passengers were screened by TSA in 2024, and 6,678 firearms were discovered throughout the year.
The total number of firearms discovered in 2024 is down slightly compared to 2023 (6,737).
But despite the slight decline, TSA officials say of the guns recovered, about 94 percent of them were loaded.
When a firearm is located at a security checkpoint, a TSO immediately contacts local police. They will remove the individual and the firearm from the checkpoint area.
Depending on local laws, police may arrest or cite the individual. TSA does not confiscate firearms.
In addition to any action taken by law enforcement, individuals who bring a firearm to a TSA checkpoint face a maximum civil penalty of $14,950, will have their TSA PreCheck® eligibility revoked for at least five years, and will undergo enhanced screening to ensure there are no other threats present, which takes up additional time.
