man arrested after gunshots at Canberra airport

A man was arrested at Canberra airport (Australia) on Sunday August 14, suspected of being the author of shots in the main terminal. “The Canberra Airport terminal has been evacuated as a precaution and the situation at the airport is under control”police said in a statement, with no reports of injuries.

“A man entered Canberra Airport in the departures area. He sat down in one of the areas adjacent to the glass windowsCommissioner Dave Craft later told reporters, outside the airport building. After about five minutes, this man took a gun from his possession and fired about five times.”

Footage circulating on social media shows a policeman immobilizing a man on the ground inside the terminal as alarms sounded at the capital’s main airport. From the outside, several bullet holes were visible on the glass facade of the airport, according to images broadcast by the Australian public broadcaster ABC (in English) and other media.

Bullet holes and cracked glass in windows at Canberra airport, following reports of gunshots earlier this afternoon @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/RDYa3nCWhV

—Josh Butler (@JoshButler) August 14, 2022

“Police were notified (…) following reports of gunshots in the main terminal”said the police of the Australian capital. “A short time later, a person was taken into custody and a firearm was confiscated”she added, pointing out that the man seemed to have acted alone. The motive of the alleged assailant is currently unclear.

Canberra Airport said it was working with airlines to restart flights by Sunday afternoon. Some flights have been cancelled.