Circuit Wire — a daily news update from the Circuit.
A 31-year-old man fired four rounds toward a terminal at Miami International Airport on the afternoon of September 23, according to an arrest affidavit reported by CBS News Miami. No passengers or employees were injured, and the suspect was taken into custody at the scene.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office identified the suspect as Francisco Ivan Mendiola. Deputies responded at about 4:05 p.m. after reports of shots fired. Investigators say three rounds were fired toward the occupied terminal and struck a metal trash can. A fourth round hit the windshield of an unoccupied Dodge Challenger.
Deputies found Mendiola on the second floor of the short-term parking garage. One deputy reported seeing him holding a firearm and loading a magazine into it, while passengers pointed arriving deputies in his direction. He was taken into custody while sitting on a bench in the short-term parking area.
Deputies later recovered a firearm from a backpack he was carrying, along with two 16-round magazines holding 12 rounds each. Four spent shell casings were found near the spot where he was detained. Investigators said he appeared intoxicated and was acting aggressively, which prevented a formal interview.
According to the affidavit, numerous vehicles and pedestrians were nearby when the shots were fired, and normal air traffic was passing overhead. Early calls described an active shooter, NBC 6 South Florida reported. The sheriff's office later described the shooting as an isolated incident and said it was not an active shooter situation.
Airport officials closed the departure level from doors 12 to 17, along with the outer roadway lanes, and diverted vehicle traffic to the arrivals level. Witness video showed deputies in tactical gear, some carrying rifles, taping off areas outside the terminal. A witness who arrived shortly afterward described frightened passengers and staff, and said an airport employee reported hearing multiple shots. About two hours after the first report, the departure level and roadway lanes reopened and operations returned to normal.
Mendiola faces one felony count of shooting or throwing a deadly missile, one misdemeanor count of unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public place and two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief. The sheriff's office said the investigation remains ongoing.
Want a weekly roundup of the major stories shaping the security industry? The On The Circuit newsletter is read by more than 12,000 protection professionals.
Spotted something we should cover? Send tips and feedback via circuit-magazine.com.