Fort Lauderdale Airport: Chaos And Confusion

On January 6, 2017, a mass shooting occurred at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida, USA. Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, a 26-year-old former National Guardsman, flew in from Alaska and opened fire in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2, killing five people and injuring six others. Santiago was arrested within 85 seconds of the shooting and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences plus 120 years in prison.

The 2017 mass shooting

On January 6, 2017, a mass shooting occurred at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Broward County, Florida, United States. The shooting took place near the baggage claim in Terminal 2, which is the host terminal for Delta Air Lines and Air Canada. Five people were killed, and six others were injured in the shooting. About 36 people sustained injuries in the ensuing panic.

The shooter, 26-year-old Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, flew into the airport from Alaska and committed the shooting with a Walther PPS 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He was taken into custody by a Broward County Sheriff's Office (BSO) deputy within 85 seconds after he started shooting. The shooting lasted for 70 to 80 seconds in total.

Santiago-Ruiz, a resident of Alaska, was a former member of the Alaska Army National Guard and the Puerto Rico National Guard. He had served in the Iraq War from April 2010 to February 2011 as a combat engineer. He had a history of mental illness and had received psychological treatment prior to the attack. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder after his arrest.

Santiago-Ruiz declared his 9mm pistol during his flight and legally checked it in his luggage. Upon arrival, he retrieved his gun and loaded it in the airport bathroom before carrying out the attack. He fired at people in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2, killing five and injuring six. He was apprehended by a BSO deputy who responded immediately to the sound of gunfire.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop notice, closing the airport for the remainder of the day. The airport reopened to commercial flights the following day. More than 20,000 pieces of baggage were left at the airport amid the chaos.

Santiago-Ruiz was charged with multiple criminal charges, including performing an act of violence at an international airport and using a firearm during a crime of violence. He initially pleaded not guilty but later agreed to a plea deal, pleading guilty to avoid the death penalty. On August 17, 2018, he was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences plus 120 years in prison.

A naked man arrested in Terminal 1

A naked man was arrested at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after he was caught on camera parading around Terminal 1 without any clothes on. The man was taken into custody by Broward Sheriff's Office deputies.

This incident is not the first time that Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has made headlines. In January 2017, a mass shooting occurred at the airport, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to six others. The shooter, Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences plus 120 years in prison.

In addition to this tragic event, the airport has also been the site of several other notable incidents. In February 2024, a man was arrested at the airport on his birthday after joking that he had a bomb in his bag. There have also been reports of bogus bomb threats, assault, and even a plane crash involving a small plane and an SUV.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport continues to be a busy travel hub, serving millions of passengers each year. Despite these occasional incidents, the airport remains a safe and efficient transport hub for travellers in the region.

A bus fire on I-95

On January 6, 2017, a mass shooting took place at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport in Broward County, Florida, United States. The shooting occurred near the baggage claim in Terminal 2, leaving five people dead and six injured. The shooter, Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, was a 26-year-old Alaska resident with a history of mental illness and violent behaviour. Santiago-Ruiz had flown into the airport from Alaska and carried out the shooting with a legally purchased 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He was apprehended within 85 seconds by a Broward County Sheriff's Office deputy and later sentenced to five consecutive life sentences plus 120 years in prison.

In addition to this tragic incident, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has also experienced various other notable events. These include:

• A bus fire along the side of I-95, though it is unclear if there were any injuries or fatalities.
• A worldwide technology outage that affected airports, including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, causing disruptions and ground stops.
• Severe weather, including thunderstorms and flooding, leading to flight delays and cancellations.
• A Cessna plane that belly-landed at the airport without any injuries.
• A JetBlue plane from Jamaica to Fort Lauderdale returned safely after a bird strike.
• A Broward County transit bus was stolen near the airport but later recovered by detectives.
• A man was arrested for making a bomb joke while boarding a flight, resulting in a felony charge.
• Four people were injured and hospitalised after a hotel shuttle bus crashed outside the airport.
• A pilot made a successful emergency landing.

A Cessna crash-land

On January 6, 2017, a mass shooting occurred at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, resulting in five deaths and injuries to six others. The shooter, Esteban Santiago-Ruiz, was a 26-year-old Alaska resident with a history of mental illness and violent behaviour. Santiago-Ruiz had retrieved a 9mm pistol from his checked luggage and loaded it in the airport bathroom before opening fire in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2. The shooting lasted between 70 to 80 seconds, and the shooter was apprehended within 85 seconds by a Broward County Sheriff's Office deputy. Santiago-Ruiz was later sentenced to five consecutive life sentences plus 120 years in prison.

In addition to this tragic incident, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has experienced various other events. These include:

• A Cessna crash-landing, with no injuries reported.
• A minor crash on the runway that left Norway-bound passengers stranded for three days.
• A bus fire along the side of I-95 near the airport.
• Severe weather causing flight delays and cancellations.
• A worldwide technology outage affecting several airlines and airports.
• A man breaching the airport fence and ending up on a taxiway, leading to a brief runway shutdown.

A JetBlue flight diversion to Orlando

On 20 February 2024, a man was arrested at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after joking that he had a bomb in his bag. The man was boarding a JetBlue flight to San Francisco when he made the ill-advised comment while on the jetway.

On 22 February 2024, a Fort Lauderdale airport shuttle rolled over, and four people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

In May 2024, passengers on a Fort Lauderdale-bound Spirit Airlines flight were told to put on their life vests after a suspected mechanical issue forced the plane to return to Jamaica.

In July 2024, a Microsoft outage impacted travel at Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports, causing delays.

In November 2024, parking rates at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were set to increase for the first time in almost a decade.

In late 2024, JetBlue announced that it would be dropping flights from several destinations, including Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Atlanta.

On an unknown date, a JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Boston was diverted to Orlando due to a "disruptive, violent passenger."

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