A TSA officer was arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday after police received a report of an officer with a firearm crossing a security checkpoint. atlanta police Say the officer, identified as 58-year-old Matthew Gilbert, was charged with reckless conduct. It is unclear why Gilbert was carrying a firearm.
Gilbert was taken to Clayton County Jail and later released, police said. fox 5 atlanta. The local outlet adds that Gilbert is not alone when it comes to airport employees carrying firearms, with police saying dozens have been caught.
A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent's patch is seen helping travelers place bags into a 3D scanner at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, May 21, 2019. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“We don't want guns in a secure area of the airport,” Atlanta Police Department Col. Toya Young told Fox 5 Atlanta. “Before you arrive in a secure area, you are free to carry a firearm, but once you are in a secure area, it is against the law to carry a firearm.”
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Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 2, 2023. (Eliya Nouvage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A graphic on the TSA website shows officers confiscated 440 firearms at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. The agency claims to have intercepted more than 6,670 firearms in 2024.
“Too many firearms for one checkpoint” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement. “Firearms pose a safety risk to checkpoint employees and everyone else. They also cost money and slow down operations.”
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People walk to security check-in at the airport ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on November 27, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Reuters/Megan Varner)
For those who must travel with firearms, the TSA has clear instructions on how to do so legally. However, the TSA says there are “limited exceptions for law enforcement officers” when it comes to traveling with firearms.
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When asked for comment, a TSA spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “TSA is aware of the arrest of an officer at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on Tuesday morning.”
“TSA has zero on-duty or off-duty misconduct charges for misconduct, and the officers involved have been removed from screening status, pending further action based on resolution of the case. The safety of our passengers and employees is at TSA. “This is our top priority and we are working closely with our partners at the Atlanta Airport Police Department on this incident.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport but has not yet received a response.
