Florida airport gunman set for court hearing

Iraq war vet Esteban Santiago is scheduled to make an initial court appearance on Monday to face charges related to a Florida airport shooting spree that killed five and wounded six.

Santiago, 26, flew to the Fort Lauderdale airport on Friday and retrieved a 9mm handgun and ammunition that he had declared and packed in his checked luggage.

Santiago, who had previously shown signs of “erratic behavior,” allegedly fired his weapon in the busy airport until he ran out of ammunition, then dropped to the ground and peacefully surrendered to a sheriff’s deputy, authorities said.

Santiago will have his initial appearance at 11 AM (2130 IST) before US Judge Alicia Valle in Fort Lauderdale, the Justice Department said.

He is charged with federal crimes that could carry the death penalty.

Video released yesterday by the TMZ website showed Santiago, bearded and wearing a blue shirt, walking calmly through the baggage claim area.

He strolls past some passengers before removing a gun from his waistband and shooting it, then runs off-screen.

One woman hid behind a luggage cart as others ducked for cover following a brief moment of stunned confusion.

TMZ did not say how it obtained the video, and showed only a 20-second portion that included the moments leading up to the attack and the first shots. The suspect, who traveled from Alaska on a one-way ticket and told investigators he had planned the attack, fired approximately 10 to 15 rounds, shooting methodically while “aiming at his victims’ heads,” FBI agent Michael Ferlazzo said in court documents.

FBI special agent George Piro said agents were looking into motives for the attack, including “continuing to look at the terrorism angle.” 

A former member of the Puerto Rico and Alaska National Guard, Santiago served in Iraq from April 2010 to February 2011. He ended his service in August. On November 7, he walked into the FBI’s office in Anchorage, Alaska and complained that his mind was being controlled by national intelligence agencies, which were forcing him to watch Islamic State jihadist videos, authorities said.