Airport gun confiscations soar in first half of 2013
About 30% more guns were confiscated at airport security gates in the first half of 2013 than that same period a year ago, a Medill analysis of federal data it aggregates from the Transportation Security Administration shows.
Atlanta, Dallas-Forth Worth and Phoenix airports topped the list, with a combined 15 percent of the 899 guns confiscated by the TSA at 168 domestic airports. Half of the top airports were in Texas and Florida.
About 84% of the guns were loaded, slightly higher than a year ago, and a third of those that were loaded had a bullet in the chamber ready to fire.
Confiscations averaged five a day compared to four a day in 2012. June was the highest, with an average 6.3 guns per day; February, the lowest at 3.7. May and June were record months overall and the week of May 15 set a weekly record, with 65 found.
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