At least five people have been killed and eight others injured after a 26-year-old Iraq war veteran opened fire at Fort Lauderdale airport in Florida.
The suspect, identified as Esteban Santiago, opened fire indiscriminately at a baggage claim area of Terminal 2. According to CNN, Esteban had arrived from Alaska and had checked in an unloaded gun and ammunition with his luggage. Esteban reportedly loaded his gun in a bathroom after landing before opening fire at the baggage claim area.
After running out of ammunition, Esteban surrounded to police and was arrested unharmed.
While a motive is yet to be established, initial reports indicate that the man had mental issues. CNN reports that Esteban, who was wearing a Star Wars t-shirt at the time, had told the FBI in November 2016 that an intelligence agency ‘was telling him to watch ISIS videos.’
Despite the admission to the FBI, authorities found no information to indicate any radicalization but asked local police to take him to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, which Esteban voluntarily submitted to.
Esteban, who was a former member of the Puerto Rico and Alaska National Guard, served in Iraq between 2010 and 2011. Authorities have not ruled out the airport shooting as a terrorist attack.
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