Photo: onathan Hayward/The Canadian Press /AP
An off-dutyTransportation Security Administration officerfell to his death at the Orlando International Airport in what police have described as an apparent suicide.
TSAconfirmed the officer’s deathin a statement on Saturday, writing that the agent “fell from a hotel balcony inside Orlando International Airport this morning and is deceased.”
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the officer’s family, friends and everyone in our TSA family,” the statement continued.
A spokesperson for TSA told theWashington Postthat the officer, who has not yet been named, “had just clocked out” before his death.
“Preliminary information suggests an apparent suicide,” police wrote in a statement shared on social media.
The investigation is ongoing.
In addition to causing flight and screening delays, the incident resulted in brief panic and chaos for travelers, who did not immediately understand what happened.
One passenger told localSpectrum News 13that she was waiting in line to be screened when the TSA agent fell to his death. After hearing a loud bang, “I saw the TSA agents standing up, and all of a sudden they just told us to run, to just go through the screening,” she said.
Another passenger also attested to seeing people “running everywhere,” telling theWashington Postthat she first thought the sound came from a firearm.
In a statement released on social media, the airport said all passengers in the area “wererequired to be rescreenedas a security precaution.”
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Later on Saturday morning, the airport announced that although “theeast checkpoint wait time is now <15 mins,” several flights had been canceled.
“Passengers are advised to contact their airline for flight status, esp Southwest passengers. Residual delays possible as airline partners work toward normal ops. Thanks again for your patience,” the airport wrote.
As of 4 p.m, 105 flights from the airport were delayed and 46 were canceled, according to flight-tracking siteFlightAware.com. Additionally, 47 flights coming into the airport had been delayed, while 73 were canceled.
The delays also extended to passengers waiting to arrive at the airport.
One passenger who flew into Orlando from Michigan via Southwest Airlines toldWKMGthat his plane was held for over 90 minutes before taxiing into the gate.
TSA agents were among the government employees whoworked without payduring the recent partial government shutdown, which lasted for 35 days.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
