2017 Fort Lauderdale airport shooting
| 2017 Fort Lauderdale airport shooting | |
|---|---|
| Location | Terminal 2, Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, Broward County, Florida, United States |
| Coordinates | 26°04′22″N 80°08′36″W / 26.07278°N 80.14333°WCoordinates: 26°04′22″N 80°08′36″W / 26.07278°N 80.14333°W |
| Date | January 6, 2017 12:55 p.m. (EST) |
|
Attack type
|
Mass shooting |
| Weapons | Walther PPS 9mm semi-automatic pistol |
| Deaths | 5 |
|
Non-fatal injuries
|
± 42 (6 gunshot victims, around 36 with other injuries) |
|
Suspected perpetrator
|
Esteban Santiago-Ruiz |
| Esteban Santiago-Ruiz | |
|---|---|
 Broward County Sheriff's Office mugshot
|
|
| Born |
March 16, 1990 New Jersey, U.S. |
| Citizenship | American |
| Employer |
|
| Children | 1 son |
A mass shooting occurred at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Broward County, Florida, United States, on January 6, 2017, near the baggage claim in Terminal 2. Five people were killed while six others were injured in the shooting. About 36 people sustained injuries in the ensuing panic. A suspect, Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, was taken into custody after surrendering to responding police officers.
The shooter opened fire with a Walther PPS 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the airport at about 12:55 p.m. EST, in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2, which is the host terminal for Delta Air Lines and Air Canada. Video showed travelers rushing out of the airport and hundreds of people waiting on the tarmac as numerous law enforcement officers rushed to the scene. Part of the panic occurred following "unfounded reports of additional gunshots"; the false alarm touched off a brief panic in other terminals. Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer tweeted from the airport, "Shots have been fired. Everyone is running."
The shooting lasted about 70 to 80 seconds. The suspect lay down on the ground after he stopped shooting, having run out of ammunition. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel stated that law enforcement officers did not fire shots and that the gunman was arrested without incident. Reports and court documents identified the gun as a model from Walther.
Five people died in the attack, all of whom were passing through Fort Lauderdale to begin cruises with their spouses. The number of people injured due to the shooting was six, with three admitted to intensive care units. The sheriff said that in addition to the people injured by gunshots, about 30 to 40 others were "injured in the panic" during the event.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop notice, closing the airport to all but emergency flights.Port Everglades, staffed by American Red Cross, assisted about 10,000 passengers who were bused there for food, shelter and to connect to transportation. The airport remained closed for the remainder of the day, but reopened to commercial flights early the following day. Following the shooting, more than 20,000 pieces of baggage were left at the airport amid the chaos.
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Wikipedia