Newark airport passengers panic, evacuate over active shooter scare
Chaos broke out as Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport was evacuated Monday evening over an active shooter scare.
Chaos broke out as Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport was evacuated Monday evening over an active shooter scare.
The “insane situation” began after an Alaska Airlines employee yelled “evacuate” in the crowded airport and then sounded an alarm across the terminal, which led passengers to believe there was an active shooter or a bomb threat.
Passengers in Terminal A were forced to evacuate after an Alaska Airlines employee reportedly yelled "evacuate" and sounded an alarm after believing two men were acting suspiciously. (David Lombardi Twitter)
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“Confusion and chaos,” sports writer David Lombardi shared on Twitter, along with video footage of the terminal evacuating.
Around 200 passengers reportedly scattered onto the airport’s tarmac, with many leaving their bags behind.
According to Lombardi, the Alaska Airlines flight attendant “saw 2 men she deemed suspicious and made a scene about it.”
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Though, he wrote, her coworkers did not think the men were suspicious, the woman “began to have a breakdown” and allegedly yelled “evacuate,” causing the terminal to panic.
A spokesperson for Port Authority did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment, but told FOX5 it was unclear why the flight attendant attempted to question the two men, who both had tickets. The two men were reportedly questioned by authorities and determined to be “minding their own business,” FOX5 reports.
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Newark airport tweeted about an hour after the evacuation that the situation was under control and there was “no threat in the Terminal A-3.”
Passengers were all rescreened as a precaution, creating delays.
The flight attendant was reportedly detained and questioned for causing the panic. It was not shared if she will be charged with any crime.
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Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.