ATLANTA — An accidental gun discharge Saturday afternoon caused some concern for travelers at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.
Update 8:54 p.m. EST Nov. 20: Police issued arrest warrants late Saturday for a passenger they said ran from the Atlanta airport after a gun inside his bag discharged at the security checkpoint when he lunged for it.
Atlanta police identified the passenger as Kenny Wells, 42, who faces charges of carrying a concealed weapon at an airport, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and reckless conduct, WSB-TV reported.
Officials with Hartsfield Jackson-International Airport said that there was never an active shooter situation at the facility on Saturday but did confirm that the gun accidentally discharged at around 1:30 p.m. in the screening area.
According to a statement issued by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the chaos that followed the weapon’s discharge. The agency clarified, without specifying their injuries, that none of the three was shot.
The TSA also confirmed that an X-ray revealed a “prohibited item,” prompting a bag search during which Wells lunged into the bag, causing the accidental discharge, WSB-TV reported.
Wells then ran from the area and out of the airport exit, the TV station reported.
#WANTED: @Atlanta_Police are looking for this man 42 yr old Kenny Wells. He’s accused of accidentally discharging his weapon at @TSA_Southeast checkpoint before fleeing @ATLairport
— Ashli Lincoln WSB-TV (@AshliLincoln) November 21, 2021
More on this tonight on @wsbtv at 11 pic.twitter.com/aZHoXHJCMh
Original report: Airport officials did not say where the gun was discharged but emphasized that there was no active shooter, WSB-TV reported.
“There is no danger to passengers or employees,” airport officials said in a short statement on Twitter. “An investigation is ongoing, more information will be published on this channel.”
Officials have given an all-clear for #ATLAirport and normal operations are beginning. Information for passengers and employees will be provided on ATL’s social media feeds and in the airport’s public address system.
— Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) November 20, 2021
The incident took place around 1:30 p.m. EST at one of the nation’s busiest airports, causing flights to be delayed.
An Atlanta police spokesperson told CNN no injuries had been reported.
“There was an accidental discharge of a firearm near the main security checkpoint,” Atlanta police Sgt. Jarius Daugherty told the news network. “Officers are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Atlanta airport says gun accidentally discharged, no active shooter https://t.co/88CDL5WrV6
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) November 20, 2021
Per Federal Aviation Administration regulations, a ground stop was called for the airport, CNN reported. However, that was lifted after a brief period.
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