OHIO — The Transportation Security Administration said its officers intercepted eight firearms at John Glenn International Airport during the first quarter of 2024, which ended March 31. 

TSA said it's a decline from the same period in 2023, in which 17 firearms were stopped at the airport. 

The most recent case involved a firearm discovered in a passenger's carry-on property during an X-ray screening on April 9, which will be counted toward the agency's second-quarter tally, according to TSA. 

Nationally, 1,503 firearms at airports were found at security checkpoints during the first quarter of the year. That's an average of 16.5 firearms daily that are detected at TSA checkpoints. Last year during the same period, 1,508 firearms were found at security checkpoints. At both time periods, TSA said 93% of the guns were loaded. 

“While it is certainly promising that the rate of passengers bringing firearms to the checkpoint has decreased, one firearm at the checkpoint is too many,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske in a press release. “The demand for air travel is as strong as ever and security is always our number one priority. Every time we discover a firearm at the checkpoint, the security screening process is slowed down for all. Traveling with a firearm is allowed and it must be packed properly as checked baggage and declared to the airline at the ticket counter. We always recommend passengers start with a clean bag when they pack to ensure no firearms, weapons or other prohibited items are present.” 

Passengers are allowed to travel with a firearm, but there are certain criteria that must be met:

• It must be secured in a passenger's checked baggage
• It needs to be unloaded
• It must be locked in a hard-sided case
• The passenger also must declare the firearm to the airline when checking the bad at the ticket counter