ORLANDO, Fla. — New details have emerged about a 26-year-old man who police said was at the center of a standoff Tuesday evening at the Orlando International Airport.
According to records from the U.S. Marine Corps, in 2011 Michael Pettigrew received a bad-conduct discharge, demotion and 7-month jail sentence after attacking a fellow Marine with a knife.
Orlando police Chief John Mina said Pettigrew, who lives five miles north of the airport, served in the military.
He had no ticket and no plans to fly anywhere.
Investigators said Pettigrew walked up to a Mears Transportation counter at the airport employee shortly before 7:30 p.m., showed a worker what he said was a gun and ordered her to use his cellphone to call 911.
The gun was later determined to be fake.
Pettigrew told the worker to send police and said he wanted to speak to the president, a police report said.
Records said Pettigrew pointed what appeared to be a handgun at an officer, who ordered him to drop the weapon, but he didn't.
When the officer repeated his orders, the man dropped to his knees, put the gun to his head and shouted, "Kill me," the report said.
“It was clear he wanted us to end his life,” said Mina.
Pettigrew later began shouting and pointed the replica gun at a crisis negotiator, who raised his AR-15 toward the suspect to get a better look at the man, records said.
The report said the officer chose to seek cover and not to shoot because there were so many passengers in the area.
Negotiators convinced Pettigrew to peacefully surrender at about 10 p.m.
Pettigrew was detained under the Baker Act and had a psychological evaluation, police said.
Residents at Pettigrew’s apartment complex said he’s been having issues and police had been called recently.
Police said Pettigrew was already in their system for mental-health related issues.
“Hopefully he’ll get the help he needs,” Mina said.
Juan Rivas said Pettigrew would violently knock on his door and yell at them to turn the TV down.
He and other neighbors said Pettigrew had recently been evicted and Wednesday was the day for him to get out. Rivas said Pettigrew sent him a text message on Sunday that said, “My dad even has to come back to pack everything. It sucks, but at least it will be over soon.”
Another text message said, “I’m going to sue the landlord for eviction under false pretenses. She is now saying all my neighbors are complaining about me.”
One of Pettigrew's friends in Pennsylvania called OPD to report their concerns about Pettigrew.
"He texted me saying something crazy like he was going to take a gun to Orlando International Airport. He told me he wasn't planning on shooting anybody, but he wants to have a cop kill him," the friend said in a 911 call.
Pettigrew was booked into the Orange County Jail on an aggravated assault charge. He is being held on a $2,500 bail.
Cox Media Group
