A man who allegedly threatened to shoot up the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was arrested after entering a terminal at the airport on Monday, according to authorities.
The man’s family alerted police that the suspect had been streaming on social media Monday morning that he was headed to the airport to “shoot it up” and was in possession of an assault rifle, according to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.
The man was taken into custody at the airport, police said. Officers located an AR-15 assault rifle with 27 rounds of ammunition in his pickup truck parked outside the airport, Schierbaum said.
The suspect is a felon who has mental health challenges, officials said. He has been charged with criminal attempt to commit aggravated assaults, among other counts, the police chief said.
“Because of the community — in this case, the family — as well as the joint collaboration of law enforcement, a tragedy was indeed averted,” Schierbaum said at a press briefing.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
