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 — identified by the Atlanta Police Department as Billy Cagle, 49, of Cartersville, Georgia — 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 FBI Atlanta said it is assisting the Atlanta Police Department with the investigation.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he is grateful a potential tragedy was averted at the world’s busiest airport.
Authorities say a man was arrested Monday after he entered a terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and allegedly threatened to shoot up the airport.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the suspect shared on social media Monday morning that he was going to the airport to “shoot it up” and that he was carrying a semi-automatic assault rifle, which the man’s family reported to the police.
According to the Atlanta Police Department, the man was arrested at the airport. He was identified as Billy Cagle, 49, of Cartersville, Georgia. “In his pickup truck parked outside the airport, officers found an AR-15 assault rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition,” Schierbaum said.
According to authorities, the suspect has mental health issues and is a felony. The police chief stated that among other charges, he has been charged with terroristic threats and criminal attempt to commit aggravated assaults.
Schierbaum stated during a press briefing on Monday that “a tragedy was indeed averted because of the community — in this case, the family — as well as the joint collaboration of law enforcement.”.
According to the chief of police, Cagle reached the airport at 9:29 a.m. M. and went to the TSA check-in area after entering the south terminal, where they were “scanning that area.”. According to Schierbaum, when police found Cagle at 9:54 a.m., he was likely returning to his truck to get the weapon. M. and he was arrested without a weapon.
“I do believe he was likely to use that weapon inside the crowded terminal,” Schierbaum stated.
The Atlanta Police Department was notified at around 9:40 a.m. by Cartersville police after the suspect’s family reported the alleged social media threat. m. Schierbaum says.
Capt. Cartersville Police. Greg Sparacio told reporters that just after 9:30 a.m., Cagle’s family called Cartersville police. m. that the suspect “had the intention of harming as many people as he could” and was “en route to somewhere in the Atlanta area.”. “.
According to him, investigators identified the car he was driving in and informed Atlanta police of this information.
Investigations into a potential motive are still ongoing, Schierbaum stated.
The FBI Atlanta stated that it is supporting the investigation on behalf of the Atlanta Police Department.
Kristi Noem, secretary of homeland security, stated that her agency is “in communication with our interagency partners.”. “.”.
In a statement, she expressed her gratitude that law enforcement had apprehended the person before they could cause harm to others.
Though he did not elaborate, Sparacio stated that their department is “familiar” with Cagle and that he has a criminal history, including a previous arrest for drug possession.
Andre Dickens, the mayor of Atlanta, expressed his gratitude that a possible tragedy at the busiest airport in the world was avoided.
He stated during the briefing, “We’re thankful to God and to good information and good intel and good people for this crisis being averted.”.
