Passengers caught trying to carry handguns past security at O’Hare and Panama City airports on Dec. 21 pushed the total number of gun confiscations by Transportation Security Administration screeners to over 1,500 through Dec. 27, data compiled by On The Beat shows.  (View interactive graphics of weekly totals and individual incidents by date and airport). 

The pace of confiscations nationwide is up in the second half of the year compared to the first — 822 confiscations since July 1, compared to 693 from Jan. 1 to June 30.

On The Beat, part of the Medill National Security Journalism Initiative, compiles its own running database based on a weekly list of confiscations posted on the TSA Blog on Fridays. Data for the final few days of the year are expected by the end of next week. 

Of the guns confiscated, 85 percent have been loaded — and 26 percent were loaded AND had a bullet in the firing chamber. 

Airports with the most confiscations so far this year: Atlanta (96); Dallas/Fort Worth (80); Phoenix (53); Houston Bush (50) and Fort Lauderdale (42).

It is illegal to carry a handgun aboard a commercial airliner; guns must be part of checked baggage and meet certain guidelines. The TSA notifies local authorities when a gun is found at security checkpoints; the local authorities determine if an arrest is made, a ticket issued, or what other action is taken.