On Friday, January 6th around 12:54 pm, an unforgettable massacre took place in the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. At the baggage claim in Terminal 2, a gunman pulled out a weapon and began to shoot at innocent civilians. The gunman, Esteban Santiago, was escorted out of the airport in handcuffs, leaving five dead and eight injured. Santiago, age 26, was a security guard in Alaska. He served in the US Army Reserve and the Alaska Army National Guard, as well as completed a 10-month tour in Iraq from 2010 to 2011. According to his family, upon return back home from his tour in Iraq, he was noticeably different. About two months ago, he walked into the Anchorage FBI office claimed that “his mind was being controlled by US intelligence”, as stated by CNN. He was submitted for a mental evaluation and had his gun confiscated, however he later was released and was given his gun back. After this tragic incident, a statement was released by Anchorage police reporting that Esteban Santiago was “having terroristic thoughts and believed he was influenced by ISIS.”

Esteban is expected to face three charges. Two of the three charges yield the possible consequence of the death penalty. The three charges include “carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence”, “performing an act of violence against a person at an airport serving international aviation that caused serious bodily injuries”, and “causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm” (CNN). The death of the five civilians has saddened hearts all across the country. Four out of the five names were identified, but one was left anonymous. One of the victims was Terry Andres. He was at age 62, from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was on his way to a Caribbean cruise with his wife of almost 40 years. Fortunately, his wife Ann Andres was uninjured in the shooting. He was described as a caring and loving man that cherished his family very much as a father and a grandfather. Another victim was 57 year-old Michael Oehme. He and his wife were also on their way to a Caribbean cruise. His wife Karli Oehme was injured during the shooting and suffered a trauma to her shoulder. Fortunately, she’s expected to recover from this injury. Shirley Timmons, age 70, was described as “an amazing daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother” by her grandson. She was loved and admired by her friends and family. The fourth victim was Olga Woltering. She was at age 84 and lived in Cobb County, Georgia, outside Atlanta. She traveled to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise. She was a great grandmother and a dedicated church member, and was said to be a charming woman. Overall, this massacre has left the citizens of this country grieving with heavy hearts.