Peters man faces charges after loaded gun found in backpack at Pittsburgh airport

A man is facing charges after Transportation Security Administration officers said they found a loaded handgun in his backpack at Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday morning.

The 54-year-old man from Peters tried to go through the main security checkpoint around 5:30 a.m. with a 9mm handgun, according to Allegheny County Police.

TSA officers contacted police, who determined the man did not possess a valid concealed carry permit.

The man told officials he did not know the gun was in his backpack, according to the TSA.

“If you own a firearm, it is important to know where it is at all times,” TSA Federal Security Director Karen Keys-Turner said in a statement. “After all, it is a deadly weapon and the importance of knowing its whereabouts should not be taken lightly.”

The man, who was not identified, was arrested and faces charges for carrying a firearm without a license. The FBI has been notified of the incident, police said.

Those who take firearms into an airport checkpoint can face fines of up to $13,900. Travelers can transport their firearms as checked baggage if they are correctly packed and declared at the airline ticket counter, according to the TSA.