Gunfire at Atlanta Airport Was 'Accidental Discharge,' Officials Say

U.S.|‘Accidental Discharge’ of Firearm Prompts Panic astatine Atlanta Airport

Gunfire astatine the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport connected Saturday resulted from an “accidental discharge” of a firearm, officials said, but it caused vacation travelers to fly and question screen arsenic immoderate believed determination was a gunman wrong 1 of the terminals.

The airdrome said connected Twitter that there was nary gunman oregon information to passengers oregon employees, and that nary 1 was injured. At astir 1:30 p.m. connected Saturday, determination was an “accidental discharge” astatine the airport’s information screening area, the airdrome said.

Officials gave an “all clear” and resumed mean operations astir 2 hours later, the airdrome said.

The panic occurred during 1 of the busiest times of the twelvemonth for aerial travel, erstwhile millions of radical are expected to alert for Thanksgiving. The Transportation Security Administration said connected Wednesday that hose question this Thanksgiving was expected to attack prepandemic levels.

The authorities did not specify however galore shots were fired oregon who was responsible. Sgt. Jarius Daugherty, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department, said officers were “working to find the circumstances surrounding” the weapon’s discharge.

The Federal Aviation Administration said each departing flights astatine the airdrome had been grounded for 35 minutes.

Some passengers shared connected societal media that they had to exit their departing flights to beryllium rescreened. Videos besides showed that those who had to get disconnected the planes had to enactment connected the tarmac portion they waited for much information.

In the moments of confusion, the airdrome seemed to descend into chaos. Images posted to societal media showed a portion of the airdrome emptied out, with stray suitcases, a spilled portion and a toppled cart among those things near behind.

Outside the airport, people gathered astatine the departures area, blocking immoderate traffic arsenic passengers waited for answers.

Mark Hager, an subordinate prof astatine Arizona State University, tweeted that the airdrome was successful “pandemonium” arsenic helium drove into it.

Adriana Loya, a newsman with 12 News successful Arizona, said connected Twitter that nary 1 knew wherever to go. Airport employees were telling passengers that determination was “an progressive shooter” by the baggage assertion successful terminal T, she said.

“Just ran successful a stampede retired of delta terminal,” different eyewitness, Matthew Schwartz, tweeted, adding, “I heard shots and past radical were running. I helped a pistillate get up.”

Another passenger, Amelia Swaggert, who was traveling to Atlanta said successful a tweet that she “immediately heard screams” erstwhile she got disconnected her flight.

“Everyone was moving done the terminal and we’re connected tarmac now,” she said.