A CHRISTMAS night airport shooting has left four people hospitalized after cops were scrambled to a restaurant inside the terminal.
One woman was left with life-threatening injuries, while three men sustained stable conditions after a frightening incident at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in Arizona.
According to reports, a fight broke out on the evening of Christmas Day near a restaurant outside the airport’s security points.
Three people were shot and a fourth was stabbed after violent scenes on the third level of the airport at around 9:40 pm.
Cops detained an underage girl and an adult man in connection with the fight.
Their identities have not yet been released, but police recovered a firearm from the scene.
After the shooting, a man showed up at the airport due to a misleading text suggesting the presence of an active shooter in the terminal.
He came to the airport carrying numerous firearms and was arrested after an altercation with police.
Video from the airport shows a shoeless, shirtless man being led away by police at around 11:30 pm.
Another officer was seen carrying two firearms, including a handgun, in an evidence bag.
Marvin Miller, a three-year airport cleaner, said he heard three gunshots in succession from the lower-level ticketing area of Terminal 4.
“I heard three shots. They were different from fireworks. Gunshots are a big difference,” he told AZ Central.
Airport activities had returned to normal by Wednesday night.
“The Terminal 4 A security checkpoint was briefly shut down, and operations of the PHX Sky Train at Terminal 4 were halted as a preventive measure,” explained Eric Everts, a spokesperson for the airport, in a statement sent via email on Wednesday night.
“The incident has been resolved and operations are returning to normal.”
Phoenix Police Department did not respond immediately to The U.S. Sun’s requests for comment.
POLICE STATEMENT
Statement from Sergeant Mayra Reeson, Public Affairs Bureau, Phoenix Police Department
“On December 25, 2024, Phoenix Police airport officers responded to a restaurant within terminal 4 outside of the security checkpoints for reports of a shooting.
“Officers located three victims one adult female and two adult males suffering from gunshot wounds.
“The three victims were taken to local hospitals.
“The adult female is listed as life-threatening the two adult males are listed as stable non-life-threatening.
“An adult male and a juvenile female were detained in the parking garage.
“The man was taken to a hospital with at least one cut/stab wound he is listed in stable condition.
“Preliminary information suggests a group of known individuals engaged in a physical altercation that escalated to one subject retrieving a handgun from their person.
“During the incident, four people were injured and two individuals were detained.
“All five of the individuals involved are known to each other. No other community members or visitors were injured.
“Airport operations at Terminal 4 A security checkpoint was temporarily closed and PHX Sky Train® operations were paused at Terminal 4 as a precaution.
“The incident has been resolved, and operations have returned to normal.
“The investigation is ongoing.
“Additional details related to this incident remain part of the investigation.”
“All five involved in this incident are known to each other,” Phoenix Police Sergeant Mayra Reeson told local Fox affiliate KSAZ-TV.
“No community members or visitors were hurt outside of this group of individuals.
“They did not go through TSA yet. I do not recommend bringing guns to an airport.”
Terminal 4 is the main hub of the airport for Southwest Airlines and American Airlines.
Passengers were warned to expect light disruption at B and C gates on December 26.
