What to Know About the Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting

Five people were killed in a baggage-claim shooting at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport on Friday afternoon.

The FBI is still investigating the incident.

Here are the key details to know right now:

Five people were killed
The gunman killed five people and wounded six others, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said at a press conference Saturday morning, correcting an initial statement from authorities that had said eight were wounded.

The six gunshot-wound victims were taken to local hospitals, where three are in good condition and three remain in intensive care as of Saturday morning.

The shooting took place in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2, which serves Delta Air Lines and Air Canada, the Associated Press reported.

The shooter pulled a gun out of his luggage and shot at travelers in the area before throwing his weapon down and lying spread-eagle on the ground, the AP reported, citing witnesses.

An additional 37 people were later taken to area hospitals with minor injuries resulting from the panic, including chest pain, anxiety and fall injuries.

The lone suspect is in custody
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office identified the gunman as 26-year-old Esteban Santiago, who is expected to appear in federal court on Monday. He was taken into custody unharmed Friday and was questioned by law enforcement.

At a press conference Saturday morning, FBI agent George Piro said investigators are continuing to explore terrorism as a potential motive.

“The indication is that he came here to carry out this horrific attack. We have not identified any triggers that would have caused this attack,” Piro said Saturday, adding that there has been no indication of a specific reason why Santiago—who authorities say acted alone—chose the Fort Lauderdale airport.

Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, who was briefed on the shooting by the sheriff’s office, told the AP that Santiago arrived in Fort Lauderdale aboard a flight with a gun in a checked bag.

A military spokeswoman told the AP that Santiago—who had been living in Anchorage, Alaska—was discharged from the Alaska Army National Guard last year for unsatisfactory performance. The Pentagon said Santiago went AWOL multiple times and was demoted and then discharged, the AP reported.

Prior to that, Santiago was deployed to Iraq for a year in 2010, a spokesman for the Puerto Rico National Guard told the AP.

The suspect visited an FBI field office in November
Piro, who is in charge of the Miami field office leading the investigation, confirmed reports that Santiago had visited the FBI field office in Anchorage, Alaska in November.

“He walked in, as anyone has the right to do so,” Piro said at Saturday’s press conference. “It was during that contact that the agents, themselves, noted the erratic behavior that concerned them.” Piro said Santiago was taken into custody at that time and referred to a facility for mental health treatment.

The airport has resumed operations
While the airport halted all flights arriving at or departing from Fort Lauderdale airport Friday, the airport resumed operations on Saturday, encouraging travelers to check with their airline for potential remaining cancellations.

The airport said it was collecting and processing 20,000 bags that were left behind during the chaotic evacuation.