Authorities in Atlanta said they averted a tragedy Monday after a man’s family told police that he was headed to the city’s airport to “shoot it up.”
Police found an AR-15 assault rifle with 27 rounds of ammunition in the man’s truck, which was parked outside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said.
“There were 27 rounds that could have been fired from this weapon inside the airport,” Schierbaum told reporters.
Billy Cagle, 49, was arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault and firearms charges, police said.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether he has a lawyer to speak on his behalf.
Schierbaum said investigators are working to identify a motive. Officials said Cagle has “mental challenges” but declined to provide additional details.
Cagle wrote Sunday on Facebook: “I told my kids if anything happens to me sue, they can get 50-100 million.”
Relatives of Cagle’s did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Cagle’s family alerted police in Cartersville, northwest of Atlanta, that he was livestreaming his plans on social media, Schierbaum said.
“He was headed to the airport, in their words, ‘to shoot it up,’ and the family stated that he was in possession of an assault rifle,” Schierbaum said. “What we didn’t know is that Mr. Cagle had already arrived at the airport.”
Security video showed Cagle entering the airport’s busy south terminal at 9:29 a.m., Schierbaum said — 11 minutes before police in Cartersville alerted authorities in Atlanta. He appeared “very interested” in the Transportation Security Administration check-in area, Schierbaum said.
Officers found Cagle at 9:54 a.m. and took him into custody, Schierbaum said. He was unarmed.
Police searched Cagle’s Chevrolet flatbed and found the assault rifle with 27 rounds.
“‘See something, say something’ did work,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens told reporters. “We are standing here talking about a tragedy averted, versus us standing here telling you about 27-plus lives that were lost or injured at the world’s busiest airport.”
