Michigan Airports Had More Firearms Detected in 2022

According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), officers stopped more handguns at Michigan airports in 2022 than they did the previous year.

According to a new report, the TSA stopped 100 handguns at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) security checkpoints in 2022, which is an increase over the 94 detected in 2021. In addition, the TSA stopped three handguns at Flint Bishop Airport (FNT), 12 at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) and two at the Cherry Capital Airport (TVC). TSA officers stopped 6,542 firearms at checkpoints at 262 different airports, surpassing the previous record of 5,972 firearms caught at checkpoints last year. The report states that the majority of those firearms (88%) were loaded.

“Bringing a firearm to the checkpoint is an expensive, dangerous mistake that far too many people are making,” Michigan TSA Federal Security Director Steve Lorincz said in a statement. “Our TSA officers are doing a fantastic job preventing weapons from making their way onboard aircraft, but the responsibility falls to passengers to pack smart and keep prohibited items out of their baggage.”

Detroit passengers brought guns to the airport at rates close to the national average, according to the report. At DTW, TSA screened nearly 11.3 million departing passengers and crew in 2022. That's a lot! TSA officers at DTW discovered firearms in carry-on luggage at a rate of 8.9 firearms per million passengers screened. For the full report, go here.