Gun fired at Atlanta airport; suspect sought

Police are looking for a man who accidentally discharged a firearm Saturday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after he grabbed the gun and fled, officials said.

Flights at the airport were temporarily halted Saturday after the firearm was discharged at a security checkpoint, causing chaos at the nation’s busiest airport and raising security concerns during the start of a busy week of Thanksgiving travel.

The suspect was identified by the police as Kenny Wells, 42.

Maj. Reginald Moorman, head of the Atlanta Police Department’s airport precinct, said at a news conference that the police had issued an arrest warrant and were “actively pursuing” Wells, a convicted felon. Moorman declined to provide details about Wells’ criminal history.

About 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a Transportation Security Administration officer spotted a prohibited item via X-ray in Wells’ carry-on bag, the agency announced. The officer instructed Wells not to touch the item, officials said, but as the officer moved to open the bag, Wells allegedly lunged and grabbed the firearm, which went off, before he fled.

Wells faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon at an airport, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, discharging a firearm and reckless conduct, Moorman said.

Officials had scrambled to quell concerns of an active shooter after the noise of the gunfire had created what airport spokesman Andrew Gobeil described as a “sense of chaos.”

Airport and federal officials initiated a “ground stop,” the agency said, temporarily halting air traffic at the airport to allow the Atlanta Police Department to investigate. Screening resumed about 3:20 p.m. after police gave the all-clear, Transportation Security Administration officials said.

The agency said early reports indicate three people sustained injuries that were not life-threatening. It reported its officers have detected more than 450 firearms at checkpoints at Hartsfield-Jackson in 2021.

Nationwide, Transportation Security Administration agents have caught a record-breaking number of firearms this year.

Last month, the agency reported its officers had found 4,495 firearms so far this year, breaking a record set in 2019. The rate of firearms per passenger screened was more than double in 2021 than in 2019, it announced.

According to the Transportation Security Administration, the number of people expected to fly during the Thanksgiving travel period is expected to reach near pre-pandemic levels.

The agency reported it screened Friday more than 2.24 million passengers, the most since the start of the pandemic. But the highest volume of passengers is expected to come on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, officials said.

Hartsfield-Jackson is a major hub for Delta Air Lines, which issued a statement Saturday thanking law enforcement officials for their quick response.

“We appreciate the rapid and professional response of the Atlanta Police Department and Atlanta Department of Aviation in responding to today’s event and their always-on commitment to the safety and security of our employees and customers,” the airline stated.

The airline issued a travel waiver to assist customers affected by the incident.

“Delta is coordinating with TSA and Atlanta airport officials to accommodate customers as quickly and safely as possible,” the airline said. “We are also working to proactively accommodate customers who may have missed a flight.”