Five people were shot dead and eight others were wounded after a war veteran opened fire at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport around 1 pm [local time] on Friday. Later, the police took the suspect, identified as Esteban Santiago, into custody.
The incident took place when Santiago took out a gun from his checked-in luggage and started shooting in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2. Law enforcement sources told CNN that Santiago had declared the firearm. Although they did not confirm his motives, officials said that he had got into an altercation during his flight to Florida.
Santiago, who hails from Alaska, is being questioned by law enforcement authorities. He had joined the National Guard in Puerto Rico in 2007 and went to Iraq for 10 months in 2010. Lieutenant Colonel Candis Olmstead told CNN that Santiago was discharged from duty in August for poor performance.
Officials added that Santiago was also admitted to a psychiatric hospital after he had told officials that he was hearing voices in his head that asked him to join the Islamic State group. “This could well be someone who is mentally deranged, or in fact it could be someone who had a much more sinister motive that we have to worry about every day, and that is terrorism,” Senator Bill Nelson told The Washington Post.
Political leaders condemned the attack. “The citizens of Florida will not tolerate senseless acts of evil. Whoever is responsible will held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Governor Rick Scott. President-elect Donald Trump assured Scott that he was “monitoring the terrible situation in Florida.” Trump also took to Twitter to convey his condolence. “Thoughts and prayers for all. Stay safe!” he tweeted.
Operations at the airport were suspended after the shooting. Most flights scheduled to land at the airport were diverted while the airport area was evacuated. “The terminals are very full right now, our passengers are sheltered in place, we’ll be working with law enforcement to actually get them released systemically,” Mark Gale, the director of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, told AFP. About 30 km north of Miami, the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is the second largest one in South Florida, according to Reuters.
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