Atlanta police say they stopped a potential mass shooting at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – one of the busiest airports in the world – after a man’s family warned authorities he was on his way there to “shoot it up.”
Officers quickly tracked down the suspect’s vehicle outside the airport and, upon searching it, found an AR-15 rifle along with 27 rounds of ammunition, Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Monday.
The suspect, identified as 49-year-old Billy Cagle, was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including making threats of terrorism, attempting to commit aggravated assault, and several firearm-related offences.
It remains unclear whether Cagle has retained an attorney.
Police are still investigating what may have motivated the alleged attack. Chief Schierbaum noted that Cagle has “mental challenges,” though he did not go into further detail.
Just a day before the arrest, Cagle made a troubling post on Facebook claiming he told his children they would receive “$50 to $100 million” if something happened to him and they decided to sue.
Cagle’s family has not yet responded to requests for comment.
According to Chief Schierbaum, Cagle’s family contacted authorities in Cartersville – a city in Bartow County, northwest of Atlanta – to report that he had live-streamed plans to carry out a mass shooting on social media.
The family told police that Cagle was on his way to the airport “to shoot it up,” and confirmed he owned an assault rifle.
What they didn’t realize, however, was that by the time their call came in, Cagle was already at the airport.
Security footage later showed him entering Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport through the south terminal around 9:30 a.m. – just 11 minutes before Cartersville police notified Atlanta authorities.
Schierbaum said Cagle appeared to show a “strong interest” in the TSA check-in area while inside the airport.
Police located Cagle at around 9:54 a.m., where they arrested him without incident. He was unarmed at the time.
A search of his Chevrolet flatbed truck, however, uncovered an assault rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praised the quick action that helped prevent what could have been a devastating event, saying the situation was a clear example of how “see something, say something” can save lives.
Thanks to the timely call from Cagle’s family, authorities were able to stop a potential tragedy at one of the world’s busiest airports.
