ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News is learning more about the firearms intercepted at Georgia’s federalized airports in 2023.
On Wednesday, we reported that 451 of the more than 6,700 firearms intercepted nationwide were found at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, as published in data from the Transportation Security Administration.
Just 496 firearms were intercepted by Transportation Security Officers at Georgia airports. The TSA said of the firearms stopped at airports across the U.S., 93% were loaded.
Now we know, about 91% of all guns stopped at Georgia airports were in Atlanta, according to TSA data.
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The increase in number of firearms is tied to the increase in passengers.
“Statewide in 2023, TSA screened approximately 23.1 million departing travelers at Georgia airports, matching the national increase of 12.7 percent over the total screened in 2022,” TSA said, adding that in Georgia, the rate of firearms detected “was more than double the national rate—with one firearm discovered for every 61,646 passengers screened.”
Increases of firearms found during check-in were the norm across the board for Georgia, according to TSA, but more so in Savannah, Augusta, and Albany.
“While ATL saw a small increase of three firearms from calendar years 2022 to 2023, Savannah-Hilton Head International, Augusta Regional and Southwest Georgia Regional airports tied or broke annual records for detections,” TSA reported.
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