"Had she just watched Die Hard": Woman caught with loaded handgun at Reagan National Airport prompts reactions online

On Christmas Eve, a woman from Bethesda, Maryland, was caught attempting to board a flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport with a loaded 9 mm handgun in her carry-on bag. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that the handgun, loaded with six rounds, was detected by airport security at the checkpoint and never made it onto the plane.

The TSA, in a news release, mentioned that the woman, whose identity has not been revealed, faces a weapons charge and a potential fine of up to $15,000. The agency emphasized the importance of responsible gun ownership, urging individuals to be aware of their firearm's location and to refrain from bringing weapons to airport checkpoints.

John Busch, the TSA's federal security director for the airport, commented on the incident, stating:

"Responsible gun owners know where their guns are at all times and they know not to bring them to an airport checkpoint."

As internet users came across the news of the woman carrying a handgun at the airport, they began reacting to the same. One user wondered if the woman had recently watched Die Hard, which referenced a Glock 7, a fictional firearm. As per the movie, this is a porcelain gun that allegedly cannot be detected on airport X-ray machines.

Internet user reacts (Image via X/@Matty_XRP)

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"It happens a lot" - Social media users react to news of woman getting caught with loaded handgun at airport

Social media users took to the comments section of @NBCNews' tweet about the situation and reacted to it. Some mentioned that individuals are often caught carrying guns at airports while others stated that the same will stop only if people face "severe consequences" for their actions.

Social media users' reactions (Image via X)

Social media users' reactions (Image via X)

The woman in question was caught with a 9mm gun, which was loaded with six bullets, as per the TSA's press release. It is worth noting that this incident at Reagan National marked the 39th firearm confiscated at the airport in 2023, setting a new record for the highest number of firearms intercepted in a single year. This surpassed the previous record of 30 firearms confiscated in 2021.

John Busch emphasized the correct way to transport firearms like handguns, especially during the holiday season, stating:

"The nice way to transport your firearm is to make sure it is unloaded, locked in a hard-sided case and declared at your airline check-in counter. The naughty way is to bring it to a checkpoint."

The TSA expressed concern over the rising trend and stated that over 6,000 handguns have been caught at airport checkpoints across the country this year.