Pittsburgh Airport Scare: Why Military Weapons Are Too Easy to Get

Zachary Vincent Velling, a 26-year-old from Morgantown, West Virginia, walked into Pittsburgh International Airport on November 12, 2024, with a carry-on bag that held more than just travel essentials. Inside was a MK24 MOD 0 flashbang grenade, a destructive device under federal law, unregistered and illegal in his possession. It came out of nowhere, a stark jolt to the system, caught only by the sharp eyes of Transportation Security Administration officers peering at an x-ray screen. This wasn’t a movie plot; it was real life, and it exposed a gaping wound in our nation’s approach to firearms.

The incident isn’t just a blip; it’s a screaming alarm. Velling faced state charges initially, but those were dropped when federal prosecutors stepped in with a one-count indictment for possessing an unregistered firearm. Up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine now loom over him. Good. Yet the question burns: how did he even get his hands on a military-grade weapon like this? The answer lies in a system that’s failed us, a patchwork of laws too weak to stop dangerous tools from slipping into the wrong hands.

This isn’t about one man’s bad choice; it’s about a society that lets these choices happen. Advocates for public safety have long warned that lax regulations on firearms and destructive devices threaten us all. Velling’s grenade wasn’t a fluke; it’s a symptom of a deeper rot. We’re not safe, not when airport security becomes the last line of defense against chaos.

Let’s face it: the numbers don’t lie. In 2024 alone, TSA officers found firearms in carry-on bags at a rate of one per 135,370 passengers screened. That’s not a rounding error; it’s a pattern. Just look at Newark Liberty International Airport, where a traveler waltzed through with a loaded .45 caliber handgun, hollow-point bullets ready to rip through flesh. These aren’t hunting rifles or family heirlooms; they’re tools of destruction, and they’re showing up where they don’t belong. Velling’s flashbang fits right into this grim trend.

Federal law labels flashbangs as destructive devices for a reason. They’re not toys; they’re designed to disorient and harm, used by law enforcement in high-stakes raids. Civilians have no business owning them, yet here we are. The National Firearms Act of 1934 tried to clamp down on such weapons, requiring registration and oversight. But enforcement? It’s a sieve. Ghost guns, homemade firearms cobbled from kits, surged to over 19,300 recoveries in 2024, up from 2018. If we can’t stop untraceable pistols, how do we handle grenades?

Some argue this is about personal freedom, that restricting access tramples rights. Nonsense. The Supreme Court’s United States v. Miller ruling in 1939 made it clear: Congress can regulate weapons that don’t serve a militia’s purpose. A flashbang in a carry-on isn’t self-defense; it’s a public menace. Supporters of loose gun laws claim state autonomy should reign, citing cases like Printz v. United States, where local cops aren’t forced to enforce federal rules. But when states fail, as West Virginia did here, federal action isn’t just justified; it’s essential.

Look at the collaboration that nabbed Velling: FBI, ATF, Allegheny County Police, TSA, all working together. That’s what it takes to plug these holes. Virginia’s task forces have shown how pooling resources can snag traffickers moving guns across state lines. Interpol’s Project Target traces weapons globally. Yet these efforts are bandaids on a system that’s bleeding out. We need more than teamwork; we need laws with teeth.

The opposition clings to a tired line: more rules won’t stop determined criminals. But Velling wasn’t a mastermind; he was a guy with a grenade who got caught. Stronger registration, tighter controls on military-grade gear, and real penalties could’ve stopped him before he reached the checkpoint. History backs this up; post-9/11 reforms like the Aviation and Transportation Security Act slashed hijackings with tougher screening. Why not apply that grit to firearms?

This isn’t abstract; it’s personal. Every traveler at Pittsburgh International that day had a life, a story, a reason to board that plane. Velling’s grenade put them all at risk. Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti nailed it: this was an “unacceptable risk of harm to the innocent traveling public.” We can’t keep rolling the dice, hoping TSA catches the next one. Our airports, our schools, our streets deserve better.

It’s time to demand action. Lawmakers who care about people over profits need to push for comprehensive gun reform: mandatory registration for all firearms, no exceptions for kits or destructive devices, and a ban on civilian access to tools like flashbangs. Federal oversight must override state lethargy. The data’s clear, the stakes are high, and the public’s patience is thin. We’ve got the blueprint; now we need the will.