Gunman with ‘mental issues’ shot and killed at San Antonio International Airport after driving wrong way into terminal and opening fire
- The unidentified gunman, said by police to have psychiatric problems, drove into the Texas city’s airport at 2:30pm local time Thursday, and began firing his gun indiscriminately
- A police officer confronted the man, who opened fire at him and the terminal building
- The cop returned fire, shooting and killing the gunman
- San Antonio Police Chief William McManus hailed the cop as a hero, and said the incident could easily have become a mass-shooting
A gunman with ‘mental issues’ was shot and killed after driving up to the terminal of San Antonio International Airport and opening fire indiscriminately.
The unidentified man was shot and killed by a cop on Thursday afternoon, with a person filmed being stretchered onto an ambulance surrounded by police officers shortly afterwards.
San Antonio Police Chief Mark Williams told KSAT the officer’s quick-thinking had likely averted a mass-shooting.
He said: ‘(The shooter) had a lot of ammunition and was shooting indiscriminately.
‘We’re lucky today not to have a lot of people injured or killed during this event.’
McManus said his department had previous interaction with the shooter, who was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.
The police chief also confirmed earlier reports that the same man had been firing his gun off a nearby highway ramp shortly before driving to the airport.
Afterwards, the airport was locked down, with a police spokesman saying there was no threat to the public.
KSAT News reported that a a man had earlier been seen firing 9 to 10 shots from a flyover overpass near the airport at about 10:30 am Thursday.
San Antonio Police placed the airport in lockdown on Thursday after a person was shot by police
San Antonio International Airport put on lockdown after ‘officer-involved shooting’ on Thursday
Passengers at San Antonio International Airport are forced to wait after the terminal was placed on lockdown on Thursday.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said the man had likely fired a pistol, and police had been actively seeking the gunman.
Police said the shooter may have been driving a red Mini Cooper or a gray minivan, McManus said in a briefing near the scene.
‘The description of the vehicle that he was standing in front of was all over the place, we don’t have a consistent description of the vehicle,’ he said.
Arrivals and departure information on the airport’s website indicated there had been little to no disruption to flights, with just one 3pm departure to Detroit being delayed.
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