Witnesses tell of carnage in baggage hall after shooting
Five killed and eight injured as airport gunman goes on rampage
EYEWITNESSES have described how airline passengers used their luggage as flimsy shields after a gunman went on the rampage in a baggage area at a Florida airport, killing five.
The man took the weapon from his hand luggage before launching the deadly attack in terminal two of Fort Lauderdale Airport, a hub for Air Canada and US-based Delta Airlines.
At least eight other people were injured in the incident which began shortly after 1pm yesterday.
Eyewitnesses said the gunman shot through luggage as people cowered behind the baggage near the carousel, while other staff dived for cover behind chairs.
Hundreds of people fled on to the tarmac in the latest shooting incident at an international airport as the airport suspended flights.
Police later arrested a man, who had military identification on him which contained the name Esteban Santiago, 26, from New Jersey.
“People started screaming and trying to get out of any door they local time could or hide under the chairs,” witness Mark Lea said.
“He just kind of continued coming in, just randomly shooting at people, no rhyme or reason to it.”
Mr Lea said the gunman said nothing as he “went up and down the carousels of the baggage claim, shooting through luggage to get at people that were hiding”.
He had a handgun and went through about three magazines of ammunition, Mr Lea said.
The gunman threw down his weapon and lay spread-eagle on the ground until he was taken into custody.
A passenger said he heard the first gunshots as he picked up his luggage from a baggage claim carousel.
Witness John Schilcher said the person next to him fell to the ground. He said other people started falling, and he then dropped to the ground with his wife and mother-in-law. Mr Schilcher said “the firing just went on and on”. He said the killer emptied his weapon and reloaded during an eerily quiet lull in the gunfire. Mr Schilcher said he did not assume it was safe until he saw a police officer standing over him.
Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, who was caught up in the drama, tweeted: “Shots have been fired. Everyone is running.”
The motive for the shooting is unclear.
President Barack Obama was briefed on the shooting by his Homeland Security adviser.
President-elect Donald Trump said he was monitoring the situation and that he had spoken with Florida Governor Rick Scott.
Brussels and Turkey have witnessed shootings or bomb attacks over the past year, but the US have been relatively unscathed after tighter security measures were put in place following September 2011.
In March last year, suicide bombers blew up part of Brussels Airport killing 17 people including themselves.
In June, gunman and suicide bombers caused carnage at Atatürk Airport in Istanbul, killing 45 people.
Before yesterday’s incident, the last US airport shooting is thought to have been in November 2013 when Paul Anthony Ciancia, 23, opened fire at a Los Angeles International Airport security checkpoint, killing a security official.
The anti-government protester is serving a life sentence.