An investigation has been launched into a shooting at Atlanta’s airport that left one person dead and three others wounded, according to the city’s mayor.
“I am deeply saddened and angered by this unacceptable incident,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement Friday.
“In one of the busiest travel times of the year, this tragic incident could have had a devastating impact on others. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims during this difficult time.”
Officials believe the incident may have been a “negligent discharge,” CNN affiliate WSB-TV reported. Two of the wounded were in critical condition, one of them in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, according to the NBC affiliate.
Federal authorities told CNN that one person, a Delta passenger, was in custody and arrested.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution posted video of a large police presence and medical personnel surrounding the plane. CNN has not been able to confirm the identity of those wounded.
Hundreds of flights were canceled and thousands of others delayed after the shooting.
Planes were stranded on the tarmac for hours while passengers boarded and departed again in a chaotic scene that police described as “secure, but chaotic” and with some airport employees taking cover.
The incident began around 7:15 a.m. local time, when police received a report of an active shooter at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to a statement from the airport.
CNN security correspondent Jason Carroll had been on his way to Boston from Atlanta.
“I have been to a couple of plane crashes and airport shootings, but never gunfire. Who did this???” he tweeted.
“Omg. Terminal 2 and 3 evacuated out. Gunshots,” tweeted Erica Rickard, who was at the airport at the time of the shooting.
“We were held on the plane for hours while some staff stayed behind. Park police protecting us. They’ve been keeping everyone safe,” she said.
Police are searching for a possible suspect. CNN has not been able to confirm details about the person in custody.
The airport posted a message on Twitter Friday morning asking customers to seek shelter and call law enforcement if they were concerned about loved ones.
“No customers are in immediate danger,” the airport said. “All those on the aircraft are safe. Travelers should stay away from terminals and seek shelter.”