WARNING: Graphic content
Terrifying surveillance video shows the moment deranged US military veteran Esteban Santiago pulled out a pistol and wordlessly gunned down random travelers at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., airport.
The 26-year-old New Jersey native first appears in the footage sauntering through a baggage-claim area at Terminal 2 of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport just before 1 p.m. on Friday.
Wearing in a blue sweater and carrying a bomber jacket over his left arm, the former National Guardsman maintains a blank expression on his face as he walks through the unsuspecting crowd of travelers.
Then, with his right hand, Santiago whips out a 9mm handgun from inside his waistband and barely glances over at his victims before opening fire.
After spraying the area with bullets, the gunman trots off while bewildered bystanders run for cover, ducking under baggage carts and hitting the floor.
The 22-second video, obtained by TMZ, does not show those who were targeted, but a blurred-out figure appears to stumble on screen as a result of being shot.
The rampage would leave five people dead and another six people wounded.
Santiago surrendered to authorities, with witnessess saying he got down on the ground after running out of ammunition.
He has been charged with performing an act of violence against a person at an airport serving international civil aviation and two other counts, which could lead to the death penalty, said the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Santiago is set to appear in court on Monday.
Santiago had flown into the airport from Anchorage, Alaska, with a layover in Minneapolis-St. Paul, on Delta Flight 2182 on Friday. He had a one-way ticket.
It was unclear Sunday why he targeted the Fort Lauderdale airport. Authorities were combing social media for clues.
Santiago’s Walther 9mm handgun and two ammunition magazines were his only pieces of checked luggage, authorities said. The Iraq war vet followed TSA regulations by checking in his weapon, officials said.
Investigators have said that same handgun had been taken away from him in November by FBI agents when he went into the bureau’s Alaska field office claiming to be suffering from a psychotic break. At the time, he spoke of the government controlling his mind and said there were voices in his head urging him to join ISIS.
Local police took him to a mental facility for evaluation, according to authorities.
He got his gun back because he wasn’t found to be mentally ill, officials in Anchorage said.
Meanwhile, Greg Myer, a spokesman for the Fort Lauderdale airport, said 20,000 pieces of luggage and other possessions were left unclaimed by fleeing travelers. Workers were cataloging the items so they could be returned, he said.
Authorities said they are investigating how TMZ got the video because publishing such footage could lead to “copycats.”
With Post Wire Services