Shooter kills five at FLL

Five people were killed and eight people were injured during an attack at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Friday, CNN was reporting.

A shooter was in custody, but there was no immediate word on the suspect’s motivations. “The subject was arrested without incident,” Sheriff Scott Israel said at a press conference. Personnel from the FBI and Sheriff’s Department were interrogating the suspect.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson told CNN that a military ID identified the shooter as Esteban Santiago. The shooting occurred in the baggage claim area of terminal two shortly before 1 p.m.

CNN reported that the shooter had arrived on a flight from Alaska, retrieved his luggage, which had firearms, and then started shooting after emerging from a bathroom.

The FBI would have complete command of the investigation if it turns out to be terrorist related, Israel said.

Swat teams were still clearing out the airport at the time of the 3:30 p.m. press conference. The airport was shut down.

The name of the flight associated with the baggage being claimed near the shooter was not immediately release out of concern that family and friends of victims needed to be notified. Airport Director Mark Gale said a hotline would be set up to help with that effort.

At 2:50 p.m., Mayor Barbara Sharief said police were sweeping a parking garage after reports of a gunshot like sound, but Israel later said there was no conformation of a shooting elsewhere at the airport.

Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer was at the airport during the attack and tweeted that shots were fired and everyone was running, but later said the scene had calmed down.

Some flights to the airport were diverted to Miami International Airport.

 

You May Also Like
Reaching Out

I know that Stephen Garber knows people. The president of Third Level is a seasoned expert on change management, relationship building and quality-of-life issues. He is an international executive coach,

Read More
Stephen Garber
SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESS & WEALTH GOES 2.0

This is the time and this is the page when the new editor-in-chief typically would tell you to get ready for a new SFBW experience—but since you’ve seen the cover,

Read More
Are Your Salespeople Taking Shortcuts?

Connor, a software sales rep, had been having a rough day. He’d been bombarded with questions from several customers and gotten behind on work he needed to finish before the

Read More
COVID and the Commercial Sector

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] For South Florida’s vigorous commercial real estate sector, there is a Grand Canyon-size fissure between market conditions on March 1 and

Read More
Other Posts
Centner Wellness Biohacks the Future of Health

High-Tech Healing Has a New Home in South Florida

Read More
Leila Centner, co-founder of Centner Wellness
School Supplies for a Cruise Surprise

BrightStar’s August Giveaway Has Heart

Read More
BankUnited Builds Momentum in Florida

Bolsters Client-Focused CRE Strategy with Two Key Hires

Read More
A Unified Approach

Holy Cross Health Taps Chief Medical Officer for COO Role

Read More