COLUMBUS (WCMH) – An off-duty security officer at John Glenn Columbus International Airport was halted at a security checkpoint after Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers found a loaded handgun in his luggage.

The man was identified as Lt. Scott Bekemeier with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority’s police department. He has been placed on paid administrative leave; the airport authority says his actions were not intentional.

A TSA press release says the gun was discovered Wednesday morning before 5am as Bekemeier attempted to clear Checkpoint A.

An officer operating the checkpoint’s X-ray machine noticed the Sig Sauer P239 .40 caliber handgun as it passed through the conveyor. The officer immediately contacted the Columbus Regional Airport Authority Police Department, who responded to the incident.

The airport says it’s Bekemeier’s department-issued weapon, and he was not working at the time he was going through the checkpoint.

The airport confirms Bekemeier has been working at the airport since April of 1995.

In the police report Bekemeier’s witness statement says in part, “my weapon was in my work laptop after work I went home packed for my trip, when I left for the airport I didn’t remember the gun was still in my laptop bag.”

TSA says they have detected four firearms this year at security checkpoints. They also say they found 15 last year.

In order to prevent security issues or to ensure firearms are not confiscated during travel, TSA recommends not only checking their website for proper travel procedures for firearms, they recommend also contacting the airlines, who may have additional requirements for traveling with weapons.

The airport released the following statement:

“This morning, TSA procedures worked as designed and a loaded firearm was discovered in carry-on luggage being screened at checkpoint A. The carry-on luggage belonged to off-duty police officer Lt. Scott Bekemeier with the Columbus Regional Airport Authority’s police department.

While Bekemeier’s actions were not intentional and did not constitute a criminal act, we take this situation seriously and an investigation is underway.”