US: Discharge of felon’s gun prompts panic at Atlanta Airport

Gunfire at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Saturday resulted from an “accidental discharge” of a firearm, officials said, but it caused holiday travelers to flee and seek cover as some believed there was a gunman inside one of the terminals. The airport said on Twitter that there was no gunman or danger to passengers or employees. At about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, there was an “accidental discharge” at the airport’s security screening area, the airport said. Officials gave an “all-clear” and was resuming normal operations by around 3:30 p.m., the airport said. In the havoc, three people were hurt but their injuries were not life-threatening, the TSA said. The panic occurred during one of the busiest times of the year for air travel, when millions of people are expected to fly for Thanksgiving. The TSA said on Wednesday that airline travel for the Thanksgiving season this year was expected to approach prepandemic levels. The firearm was discharged by a passenger, the administration said. At a news conference on Saturday night, the authorities identified the passenger as Kenny Wells, 42. The police said he was a felon and there were warrants out for his arrest.<br/>