crime
Shots fired at Canberra airport – arrest
Bullet holes at Canberra Airport. photo
© Mick Tsikas/AAP/dpa
The man was sitting in the check-in hall. Suddenly he draws his gun and fires several shots. The motive is still completely unclear.
A man fired several shots at the airport in the Australian capital Canberra on Sunday, but authorities said no one was injured. He was arrested and taken to the police station, the AAP news agency wrote.
The man probably acted alone, AAP quoted a police spokesman as saying. The shots he fired in the departure hall were therefore not aimed at people. The motive of the man is still unclear, it said. Nothing was initially known about the alleged perpetrator either.
The incident reportedly happened around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon (local time). The man initially sat near the window in the check-in hall, TV station ABC quoted an investigator as saying. After five minutes, he drew his gun and fired about five shots. Bullet holes can be seen in the windows of the departure hall.
The airport had to be evacuated for several hours because of the incident, and air traffic was stopped. A number of passengers were initially stuck in planes on the tarmac. ABC reported some also had to wait outside in the cold. It is currently winter in Australia. The police later gave the all-clear, as AAP wrote. Shortly before 5 p.m. (local time), passengers were able to re-enter the building, but aircraft take-offs and landings remained suspended.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also tweeted that he had been informed of the incident and that there was no longer any danger. The man did not go through any security check, it said.