"The shooter was a passenger on a Canadian flight with a checked gun," LaMarca said in a Facebook post. "He claimed his bag and took the gun from baggage and went in the bathroom to load it. [From there, he] came out shooting people in the baggage claim."
It was previously reported that the suspect arrived from Canada, but new intelligence confirms that in fact Santiago flew from Anchorage, Alaska.
Sources confirmed a death toll of five individuals and 13 wounded. Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer noted that "everyone is running" before later tweeting that the situation "seems calm."
Law enforcement officials are very confident the suspect acted alone but have not ruled out the possibility of terrorism. The incident unfolded at Terminal 2 of the airport. The airport has been temporarily closed while authorities conduct a thorough investigation. Politicians from across the spectrum immediately weighed in. Florida Gov. Rick Scott was en route to the scene to be briefed on the situation, according to a spokeswoman.
Further, President-elect Donald Trump tweeted, "Thoughts and prayers for all. Stay safe!"
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2017
Scott noted, "In Ft. Lauderdale. Monitoring the shooting with law enforcement," adding that he "spoke to Donald Trump, [Florida] airports about security and safety." This included speaking with authorities at other airports throughout the state. The suspect was identified by US Senator Bill Nelson as 26-year-old Esteban Santiago.
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) January 6, 2017
