A 48-year-old man was arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Monday morning after police say he threatened to shoot up the airport and brought a rifle with him.
What It Means For You: The airport is safe and back to normal operations. Police found the suspect and his weapon before anyone was hurt.
What Happened: Atlanta Police got a call from Cartersville Police around 9:40 a.m. warning them about a man who had made threats to “shoot up” the airport. Officers found Billy Jo Cagle inside the South Terminal near the security checkpoint and arrested him right away.
- Police found a rifle in the back seat of his truck parked outside the terminal.
- Police dogs checked the vehicle to make sure it was safe.
- Cagle’s family members saw a livestream he posted on social media and alerted the Cartersville Police.
The Charges: Cagle faces four charges: making terroristic threats, having a gun while committing a felony, trying to commit aggravated assault, and being a convicted felon with a gun.
Between the Lines: The quick arrest happened because police in Cartersville called ahead to warn Atlanta officers. This gave airport police time to search for Cagle before he could reach the gates or planes.
The Sources: Atlanta Police Department.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
