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Multiple People Shot, Killed at Fort Lauderdale Airport

Police have taken a suspect into custody.

Published Jan. 6, 2017

 (tsuna72/Flickr)
Image Via tsuna72/Flickr

On 6 January 2017, a shooter opened fire at Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport, killing at least five people and injuring several others:

According to an initial report from Reuters, a total of nine people were shot. Officials took a man into custody. The suspect has been identified as Esteban Santiago, who appeared to be carrying a military ID card:

Witness Mark Lea told ABC News he heard "what sounded like firecrackers" before people began yelling and "frantically running."

Lea said he saw then saw a gunman who was "randomly shooting people."

The gunman "went through a couple dozen rounds" before throwing the gun down away from him and "lying face-down and spread-eagle," waiting for officers to approach him, according to Lea.

Investigators are still unsure of his motives but that he did not appear to have a specific target in mind.

Kim LaCapria is a former writer for Snopes.

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