2017 Fort Lauderdale airport shooting

A mass shooting occurred at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Broward County, Florida, United States, on January 6, 2017, near the baggage claim in Terminal 2. Five people were killed while six others were injured in the shooting. About 36 people sustained injuries in the ensuing panic. A suspect, Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, was taken into custody after surrendering to responding police officers. Attack: The shooter opened fire with a Walther 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the airport at about 12:55 p.m. EST, in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2, which is the host terminal for Delta Air Lines and Air Canada. Video showed travelers rushing out of the airport and hundreds of people waiting on the tarmac as numerous law enforcement officers rushed to the scene. Part of the panic occurred following "unfounded reports of additional gunshots"; the false alarm touched off a brief panic in other terminals. Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer tweeted from the airport, "Shots have been fired. Everyone is running." The shooting lasted about 70 to 80 seconds. The suspect lay down on the ground after he stopped shooting, having run out of ammunition. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel stated that law enforcement officers did not fire shots and that the gunman was arrested without incident. Reports and court documents identified the gun as a model from Walther. The Broward County Sheriff's Office reported that five people were killed. The number of people injured due to the shooting was six, with three admitted in intensive care units. The sheriff said that in addition to the people injured by gunshots, about 30 to 40 others were "injured in the panic" during the event. Victims: Five people died in the attack. Four have been publicly identified, all of whom were passing through Fort Lauderdale to begin cruises with their respective spouses. They have been identified as Terry Andres (age 62), Michael Oehme (57), Shirley Timmons (70) and Olga Woltering (84). Aftermath: The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop notice, closing the airport to all but emergency flights. Port Everglades, staffed by American Red Cross, assisted about 10,000 passengers who were bused there for food, shelter and to connect to transportation. The airport remained closed for the remainder of the day, but reopened to commercial flights early the following day. Following the shooting, more than 20,000 pieces of baggage were left at the airport amid the chaos. President Barack Obama was briefed about the shooting by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Lisa Monaco. President-elect Donald Trump tweeted that he was monitoring the situation and that he had spoken with Florida Governor Rick Scott regarding the shooting. President Obama later consoled the victims and stated that he had asked his staff to reach out to Mayor Jack Seiler in order to make sure efforts were coordinated between state and local officials. Governor Scott ordered flags of the United States and of Florida to be flown at half-mast throughout the state on January 7 and 8 to honor the victims. Suspect: Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, a 26-year-old resident of Alaska and a military veteran, was arrested immediately after the shooting. Santiago flew from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage on a Delta flight, connecting through Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport. Investigators say that he checked a declared 9mm pistol in his baggage before retrieving it in Fort Lauderdale and loading the gun in an airport bathroom just before the attack. Santiago was reported to be carrying military identification at the time of the shooting. Santiago was born in New Jersey in 1990 and moved to Puerto Rico two years later. He lived most of his life in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico, and attended high school there. He joined the Puerto Rico National Guard on December 14, 2007, and served in the Iraq War from April 23, 2010, to February 19, 2011, as a combat engineer. He later served in the Alaska Army National Guard from November 21, 2014, until receiving a general discharge in August 2016 for "unsatisfactory performance." He was a private first class and received ten awards during his time in the military. According to his family members, he had become mentally ill after his tour in Iraq and was severely affected by seeing a bomb explode near two of his friends while in service. They also stated he had recently received psychological treatment following a number of incidents. Federal officials confirmed that he was undergoing treatment for mental health problems. In January 2016, Santiago was arrested and charged with assault in an incident involving his girlfriend in Anchorage, Alaska. It was alleged that he was yelling at her, broke down the door, and proceeded to strangle her. The case resulted in a deferred prosecution agreement. Santiago visited the FBI field office in Anchorage in November 2016 and reported hearing voices in his head telling him to commit acts of violence. He also said that he was in control and did not intend to hurt anyone. He also claimed that the U.S. government was controlling his mind, was making him watch videos by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and added that the CIA was forcing him to join the group. Authorities urged the man to seek mental health treatment and notified the local police who detained him and took him to a medical facility for a mental health evaluation. He was later investigated by the FBI, who discovered no links to terrorism or any violation of laws occuring during the incident. Alaska police took his handgun from him due to the incident, but returned it in December as he had neither committed any wrongdoing nor was adjudicated as mentally ill. Investigation: Santiago was identified as the lone gunman by multiple law agencies and as the sole suspect. The FBI stated that he appeared to have arrived in the city specifically for carrying out the shooting. But according to them, investigators found no specific reason why he chose the airport, nor had they determined any motive. State and local law officials stated that Santiago had fired with a semiautomatic 9mm handgun at the baggage claim in Terminal 2. The chief of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport's police and fire department that he had arrived at the airport four hours before his flight and brought no baggage other than his handgun case. The Qupqugiaq Inn, a motel in midtown Anchorage, was evacuated and searched on the day of the shooting as part of the investigation into the suspect. Authorities did not immediately specify what connection he had to the lodge, although they later stated that he had recently been a resident of the Qupqugiaq, which offers monthly rentals. The FBI used a flatbed tow truck to seize the motel's dumpster, the contents of which were searched at their Anchorage field office They conducted interviews with 175 witnesses and people who knew Santiago. According to government officials, Santiago had no significant foreign travel that was ever flagged, nor was he on the radar for possible terrorism ties. However, they did not rule out terrorism as a possible motive, with the police investigating whether he was a homegrown terrorist or mentally disturbed. ABC News reported that investigators had recovered Santiago's computer from a pawn shop and were searching through it to determine whether the suspect had created a jihadist identity by the name of "Aashiq Hammad". The scarcity of information about the investigation led to rise of several rumors about him. Some conservative websites including Judicial Watch claimed that Santiago had created an Arabic name while he was 17-years old and had become a radicalized terrorist who posted emails, video propaganda and Islamic songs on jihadist forums. Law enforcement sources however stated that investigators had found no evidence that he was an Islamic convert inspired by terrorist organizations while investigating his social media activity, adding that evidence suggested that he had planned and acted completely on his own. They also stated that the attack was different from the pattern of ISIL-inspired lone wolf attacks and investigators had found no tangible evidence that he had actually heeded the voices he had claimed to be urging him to join ISIL. Because the attack took place at an airport, it falls under federal criminal jurisdiction although prosecution under Florida state jurisdiction is also possible. Federal officials have filed charges against him including performing an act of violence at an international airport, using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and causing the death of a person through use of a firearm. They have since announced that they will seek the death penalty against him. Per court documents and a federal affidavit, Santiago admitted to planning the attack, buying a one-way ticket to the airport and checking a box with a Walther 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and the two ammunition magazines he used in the shooting. Per court records, he also stated that he later loaded his Walther handgun in a bathroom at the airport and "shot the first people he encountered" after coming out. TMZ released a video of the shooting on January 8. Broward mayor Barbara Sharief later announced that the Broward County Sheriff's Office was investigating who leaked the footage of the shooting to TMZ. The officer who leaked the video was identified as a deputy in Broward Sheriff's Office who was put on paid suspension pending investigaton. The suspect had made a flight reservation to New York City for December 31, 2016, which officials told ABC News might have been his preferred destination. However, he cancelled the reservation, and investigators believe the deployment of a large number of NYPD officers may have been the reason he did so. He booked a one-way ticket to Florida a few days later. Counterterrorism officials in New York meanwhile investigated his plan to visit the city and whether he planned to stay or transfer to another flight. Prosecution: Federal charges were filed against Santiago the day after the shooting. In a criminal complaint, federal prosecutors charged Santiago with deadly use of a firearm and performing an act of violence at an airport. If convicted, Santiago could be sentenced to life imprisonment or death. Santiago made his first appearance in federal court on January 9, appearing before a United States magistrate judge. A federal public defender was appointed for him since he was unable to pay for a lawyer. Prosecutors have sought for detention without bond for Santiago, stating he was a danger to the community and a flight risk. A detention hearing was set for January 17 while the arraignment was set for January 23.