5 dead, 8 injured in Fort Lauderdale shooting in Florida

According to reports, Hollywood Airport services about 79,000 daily passengers.

Florida, Jan 7: Five people were dead and eight others were injured after a shooter opened fire at the Fort Lauderdale--Hollywood International airport in Florida on Friday. The suspect was later taken into custody. Out of the 8, three were shot fatally.

Security officials arrived immediately at the scene of the incident. Broward County Sheriff said that multiple people were dead and one person was in custody.

According to a report by the Associated Press, the gunman has been identified by authorities as 26-year-old Esteban Santiago, who served in Iraq with the National Guard, but was demoted and discharged last year for unsatisfactory performance.

The accused's brother said he had been receiving psychological treatment recently, added the Associated Press report.

The airport tweeted the incident took place at the Terminal 2 baggage claim area. Hundreds of passengers and airport workers could be seen gathering and evacuating via the tarmac.

Update: 5 ppl dead; 8 injured were taken to an area hospital.

— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) January 6, 2017

The airport tweeted that all services were temporarily suspended and passengers should contact their air carrier about flight information.

President Barack Obama was briefed about the shooting, said a statement by the White House.

Broward County Commissioner said that the airport shooter was passenger on Canadian flight with a checked gun in his bag. "It's too early to say if Fort Lauderdale Airport shooting was a terrorism incident," he said.

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