ORLANDO, Fla. —Police say a gunman at the Orlando International Airport has been taken into custody and everyone is safe, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday night.
Sgt. Wanda Miglio said Orlando police officers had responded to reports of a man with a gun in the terminal. No shots were fired, she said.
“Suspect is speaking with a crisis negotiator,” police said earlier in the evening on their verified Twitter account.
The airport’s verified account said there was a man with a weapon in the rental car area of Level 1, Side A.
David Hess had traveled to Orlando on business and was standing at the Dollar/Thrifty rental car counter.
A Thrifty employee ran in from a garage area and said, “There is a guy out there with a gun, Take cover. He has a huge gun.”
Other employees were unsure of what was going on.
Hess called 911 and was told by an operator there were reports of a man with a gun in one of the rental car parking lots.
Hess and other customers went to another garage and hid behind concrete beams. They remained there for several minutes before employees said the suspect was surrounded inside.
Hess was able to get a car and leave the airport, but said he was concerned because there were no warnings over the intercom about the man with the gun and he didn’t see security guards near the rental counters.
Police sought to tamp down rumors on social media.
“We are working on getting an update for you. In the interim, please refrain from putting out unconfirmed information,” police tweeted.
There was minimal impact to airport operations, the airport wrote on Twitter. The Federal Aviation Administration website listed a ground stop for the airport, known by the three-letter code MCO. The airport said planes due to arrive there were affected. Flight tracking websites indicated some flights were still departing.
Aerial footage from CNN affiliate WESH’s helicopter showed a long line of police cars with their emergency lights flashing outside and reporters tweeted photos of massive traffic backups on the airport roads.
