Shots Fired at Fort Lauderdale Airport, Killing 1

The Latest: Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting

A gunman opened fire, shooting at least 12 people and killing five of them

  • Jan 06, 2017

[Update: January 9, 2017 8:45 a.m.]

Footage obtained by TMZ from Fort Lauderdale's surveillance system shows Esteban Santiago, 26, pulling a gun from his waistband in the baggage claim area of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport's terminal two just before shooting 13 people, five of which died as a result of the ambush.

Police believe that Santiago checked a firearm into his luggage in Alaska before boarding a flight to Fort Lauderdale. When the plan landed, he picked up his luggage from terminal two's baggage claim area, found a nearby bathroom, loaded his gun and hid it in the waistband of his pants. From there, he exited the bathroom, walked in-sync with other travelers through the terminal before pulling the gun and open firing.

Police were able to take Santiago into custody without harming him. In an effort to identify him, they found on him a military ID. According to the military, Santiago had nine years of service with the National Guard, including a 10-month tour in Iraq.

Santiago told police that he bought a one-way ticket to Fort Lauderdale and brought a Walther 9 millimeter pistol and two magazines. He admitted that he shot about 15 shots and was aiming at people's heads.

Santiago is expected to be formally charged Monday, January 9 with counts of causing serious bodily injury to someone at an international airport; using a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime; and causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm.

As of Monday morning, two of the victims remain in the intensive care unit at Broward General Hospital, while the remaining victims have either been released or are recovering at the hospital. Police believe an additional 20+ people were injured during the events, not as a result of gunfire, but panic.

Rumors spread through the airport as the gunfire rang out and afterwards. People were evacuated on to tarmacs while police swept the airport, looking for additional threats. Just as Santiago was boarded up and taken off, people were allowed to re-enter the terminals to be re-screened through security.

About a half hour later, panic set in again as rumors of a second shooter spread. People ran for their lives back out to the tarmac, hiding behind machinery and large equipment.

Police said at a press conference that additional  threats to the airport were unconfirmed.

[UPDATE: January 6, 2017 2:30 p.m.]

The Associated Press is now reporting that at least five people were killed in the shooting, and 12 were injured. Police say the shooting happened in Terminal 2 in the baggage claim area outside the TSA checkpoint. The shooter acted alone.

Original story posted below.

According to multiple reports, a gunman opened fire at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida Friday afternoon, shooting nine people and killing at least one. Local law enforcement announced the gunman was in custody.

At this time it is unclear whether the shooting took place inside an airport terminal or not. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer was at the airport at the time, saying everyone was running and eventually it calmed down.

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