8 Injured, 5 Dead in Shooting at Fort Lauderdale Airport

By J.D. DurkinJan 6th, 2017, 1:15 pm
 

According to Senior News Editor Brad Jaffy of NBC, one person is confirmed dead in a shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Additionally, nine people have been shot. The shooter is said to be in custody.

Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer happened to be in the airport and provided an eyewitness account via Twitter

ABC News reports that the shooting took place at Terminal 2 of the airport.

CBS Miami affiliate WFOR has footage of passengers on the tarmac after Terminal 2 was evacuated. CBS News reports that one victim is “bleeding profusely.”

UPDATE 1:36 p.m. ET — NBC News is now reporting three people have been killed in the shooting.

UPDATE 1:58 p.m. ET — The Broward County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that “multiple people” have been killed.

UPDATE 2:05 p.m. ET — Time is reporting that five people have died in the shooting.

UPDATE 2:16 p.m. ET — The Broward County Sheriff’s Office is now reporting that eight people were injured in the attack.

UPDATE 2:24 p.m. ET — ABC News spoke with Mike Starobinsky, an eyewitness to the shooting.

UPDATE 2:28 PM ET: Some additional action occurred at the airport, with more shots being fired.

UPDATE 2:32 PM ET: The shooter has been identified.

And President-elect Donald Trump has commented on the situation.

UPDATE 2:35 PM ET: FAA is allowing flights within 50 miles of airport to land. All others are being rerouted. Planes at airport are grounded.

UPDATE 2:40 PM ET: President Obama has been briefed on the shooting.

UPDATE 2:44 PM ET: Footage of passengers running across the tarmac after reports of additional shots.

UPDATE 2:48 PM ET: TSA reported at 2:33 PM ET that there was an active shooter on the scene, indicating another shooter.

UPDATE 2:50 PM ET: An eyewitness stated that the shooter (presumably Santiago) repeatedly said “I’m not Jewish”

And police had another person in custody, presumably another shooter.

UPDATE 2:52 PM ET: Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief told CNN that 13 people have been transported to area hospitals.

UPDATE 3:07 PM ET: Vice-President-elect Mike Pence tweeted out a statement of “thoughts and prayers.”

UPDATE 3:14 PM ET: Per Sharief, there is no second shooter. People reacted to a loud noise and alerted police.

UPDATE 3:19 PM ET: NBC News: There’s no indication so far from any official source that there was a second shooting or second shooter at Fort Lauderdale.

UPDATE 3:21 PM ET: Fox News is contradicting these reports,stating police indicated there was a second shooter and there were unconfirmed reports of shots fired in the terminal and parking garage.

UPDATE 3:30 PM ET: Law enforcement addressed the media to give an update on the situation. The shooter is in custody and unharmed, stating that he was not shot by police.. It is also being reported that Santiago was a passenger on a Canadian flight from Alaska and had a checked gun. He reportedly loaded the gun in the restroom and came out shooting in baggage claim. Sheriff Scott Israel dismissed any reports of an additional shooting in Terminal One.

He said they didn’t have anyone else in custody for the shooting, but did say someone could have been initially escorted for questioning, presumably referencing video captured of one man handcuffed and escorted away by police.

UPDATE 3:40 PM ET: Broward County Sheriff updated the numbers of casualties. 13 people shot in total. Eight injured and five dead. Also, airport will not be reopened until they have verified there is no additional threat.

UPDATE 3:52 PM ET: Santiago lived in Anchorage, Alaska from 2014 to 2016 and was a member of the National Guard. He has a record of petty crimes, including non-payment of rent, domestic violence and property damage.

UPDATE 4:32 PM ET: CNN is reporting that witnesses have said that Santiago got into an altercation on the plane that could have led to the shooting. Also, CNN reports he is in the Army.

UPDATE 4:36 PM ET: Air Canada is saying that Santiago was not on one of their flights.

UPDATE 4:41 PM ET: Fox News provided eyewitness accounts of the shooting. “People on either side of me were going down, so I dropped to the ground, my mother-in-law and my wife did,” he said. “The firing just went on and on.”

UPDATE 4:46 PM ET: NBC New York is confirming that Santiago’s family has confirmed that the below photo is of the shooter.

UPDATE 4:55 PM ET: CNN is also reporting that Santiago may have had mental health issues and the situation may have began on the flight. Also that he was in contact with the FBI.

UPDATE 5:00 PM ET: CNN has released a photo of Santiago.

santiago-pic

CBS News released some additional photos.

UPDATE 5:25 PM ET: Florida Governor Rick Scott indicated that he reached out to President-elect Donald Trump and Vice-President-elect Mike Pence, who told him they would assist with anything from the federal government. He said he did not reach out to President Obama or heard from him yet.

UPDATE 5:45 PM ET: Santiago spoke with the FBI in November, telling them he felt he was being forced to fight for ISIS. His aunt also said “he lost his mind” while serving in Iraq.

UPDATE 7:55 PM ET: Per Fox News, the airport will remain closed for the rest of the evening.

Here is a live stream of the NBC News coverage:

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