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Man found shot at Atlanta's airport
A shooting at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has left one person injured, police confirmed.
ATLANTA - Atlanta police say a 59-year-old man who shot himself Sunday afternoon inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is facing multiple felony charges.
What we know:
Officers were called just after 3:34 p.m. to the upper-level baggage claim area of the South Terminal, where they found Douglas E. Smith with a gunshot wound to his left arm.
He was alert, conscious, and breathing before being taken to a hospital for treatment.
Police said Smith’s injury was self-inflicted.
Atlanta Police Major D. Wilson said the shooting happened moments after Smith reached the top of an escalator platform.
"He pulled out a handgun, intentionally shot himself in the upper left torso," Wilson said. Smith then fell to the ground and a bystander was able to pull the handgun away from him.
Wilson said officers immediately responded, secured the weapon, and made the scene safe before Smith was taken to the hospital.
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Smith will be charged with reckless conduct, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and will be taken to the Clayton County Jail once he is released from the hospital.
What they're saying:
Airport officials said passengers were never at risk and that operations were not affected.
"I just want to assure everybody that the normal operations, this would not impact you at the airport," said Augustus Hudson, deputy general manager of operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. "We continue to work with the Atlanta Police Department and our federal colleagues to ensure that all passengers have a safe journey."
Wilson also emphasized airport readiness during the busy holiday season.
"Safety is obviously our number one priority, and the Atlanta airport is by far and away one of the safest major airports in the entire world," he said.
What we don't know:
Police have not said why Smith brought a gun into the airport or what led to the self-inflicted shooting.
Officials have not said whether surveillance video captured the incident or whether additional witnesses have been interviewed.
Authorities have not provided an updated medical condition or a timeline for when Smith will be booked into the Clayton County Jail.
A motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.
The Source: The Atlanta Police Department and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport provided the details for this article. This article has been updated since it was originally published.