Man arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot up Atlanta airport

[ad_1] A person who allegedly threatened to shoot up the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport was arrested after coming into a terminal on the airport on Monday, in line with authorities.

The person's household 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 a semi-automatic assault rifle, in line with Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum.

The person -- recognized by the Atlanta Police Division as Billy Cagle, 49, of Cartersville, Georgia -- was taken into custody on the airport, police mentioned. Officers situated an AR-15 assault rifle with 27 rounds of ammunition in his pickup truck parked outdoors the airport, Schierbaum mentioned.

The suspect is a felon who has psychological well being challenges, officers mentioned. He has been charged with terroristic threats and felony try to commit aggravated assaults, amongst different counts, the police chief mentioned.

"Due to the neighborhood -- on this case, the household -- in addition to the joint collaboration of legislation enforcement, a tragedy was certainly averted," Schierbaum mentioned at a press briefing Monday.

The police chief mentioned Cagle arrived on the airport at 9:29 a.m. and, upon coming into the south terminal, went to the TSA check-in space and was "scanning that space." Schierbaum mentioned he believes Cagle was strolling again to his truck with the intent to retrieve the weapon when officers encountered him at 9:54 a.m. and he was taken into custody.

"I do imagine he was seemingly to make use of that weapon contained in the crowded terminal," Schierbaum mentioned.

The suspect's household reported the alleged social media risk to Cartersville police, who instantly alerted the Atlanta Police Division at roughly 9:40 a.m., in line with Schierbaum.

Cartersville Police Capt. Greg Sparacio informed reporters Cagle's household alerted Cartersville police shortly after 9:30 a.m. that the suspect was "en path to someplace within the Atlanta space" and he "had the intention to do hurt to as many individuals as he might."