The gunman who opened fire in the baggage claim area of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport had a gun stashed in a checked bag.
The man had declared the firearm when he traveled from Alaska to Florida via Canada. When he arrived in Florida, he retrieved his checked bag, took out the gun and started firing, CNN reports.
TSA regulations allow for firearms to be transported on airplanes. The regulation states:
You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted. Be aware that the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm when it is transported in checked baggage.
Early reports indicated that at least five people were killed and eight others wounded, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Department.
At approximately 1:15 p.m. ET, the airport tweeted that there was “an ongoing incident in Terminal 2, Baggage Claim.” Ari Fleischer, a former White House press secretary, tweeted that he was at the airport and that “Shots have been fired.”
Parts of the airport were promptly evacuated, with aerial footage from the scene showing people gathering on the tarmac. Florida Gov. Rick Scott was en route to the scene to be briefed by law enforcement.