Airport shooter is convicted
A MAN has admitted killing five people and wounding six in a Florida airport shooting.
Esteban Santiago pleaded guilty in exchange for a life sentence to 11 charges after the January 2017 attack.
The 28-year-old, from Anchorage, Alaska, admitted he opened fire with a handgun in a baggage area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The plea deal was struck after prosecutors announced they would not seek the death penalty.
Instead, Santiago agreed to a life prison sentence plus 120 years.
Iraq war veteran Santiago has been treated for schizophrenia but was found able to understand legal proceedings.
A psychologist testified that Santiago’s mental state has improved since he was first arrested.
US district judge Beth Bloom asked Santiago why he did what he did.
Santiago initially told the FBI he thought he was under government mind control.
He said: “I wasn’t really thinking about it at the moment. A lot of things were going on in my mind. Messages.”
Attorney Benjamin Greenberg said yesterday: “Today the man responsible for the horrific, devastating and tragic attack on numerous innocent people at the Fort Lauderdale airport was held accountable for his crimes.”