Man goes on shooting spree at Fort Lauderdale airport

On the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 6, a shooting at Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood International Airport killed five people and severely wounded eight. The chaos caused almost 40 more people to be injured during evacuation, and the aftermath was described as a “war zone” and “mass hysteria.”

The main suspect was identified as Esteban Santiago, who had taken a flight from Anchorage, AL to Fort Lauderdale, FL. He had one piece of checked luggage, which was a case with a handgun. Witnesses said that after his flight, he went to the bathroom with the case and started to randomly shoot people when he came out.

Santiago did not resist when taken into custody and is currently being held without bond on a murder charge.

Santiago’s motive remains unknown, although it was reported that he had visited an FBI office in Alaska two months earlier, claiming that a US intelligence agency told him to fight for ISIS. Santiago also said that he was hearing voices and agreed to a mental health evaluation.

The airport remained closed for the rest of the day, and it reopened on Saturday morning. Over 10,000 travelers’ flights were interrupted, and the airport stated that it was collecting over 20,000 bags and items left behind during the evacuation to return to the owners.