5 Dead in Shooting at Florida Airport

The shooter is reportedly in custody
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 6, 2017 12:43 PM CST
Updated Jan 6, 2017 2:58 PM CST
At Least 1 Dead in Shooting at Florida Airport: Report
In this still image from video provided by NBC TV Local10, people stand on the tarmac after shots were fired at the international airport in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Local10 and other news media outlets reported Friday that multiple people were shot.   (NBC TV Local10 via AP)

A shooting Friday at a Florida airport left five people dead and eight others injured, the Washington Post reports. According to ABC News, authorities have the shooter in custody. The incident happened at baggage claim in Terminal 2 of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The terminal was evacuated. Hundreds of people could be seen standing outside on the tarmac, the AP reports. Ari Fleischer was at the airport when the shooting started. "Shots have been fired," the former White House press secretary tweeted. "Everyone is running."

Authorities have identified the suspected shooter as Esteban Santiago. They believe he acted alone. Police say the shooter was a passenger on a Canadian flight. He picked up his checked bag—which contained a gun—at baggage claim, then went to a bathroom to load it. One witness, who says the shooter emptied the weapon and reloaded, tells the AP "the firing just went on and on." Another witness tells ABC the shooter fired "a couple dozen rounds," then tossed the gun away and lay down to wait for police. Police say the shooter was not harmed, and law enforcement didn't fire a single shot. (More shooting stories.)

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