Shooting at Canberra Airport sees terrified passengers evacuated onto tarmac before cops pin alleged gunman to the ground in dramatic arrest before stunned onlookers
- Terrified passengers evacuated from Canberra Airport after reports of shooting
- Travellers were evacuated as AFP officers conduct a ‘security sweep’ of airport
- There are no reported injuries with flights to be resumed by Sunday afternoon
Hundreds of terrified passengers have been evacuated from Canberra Airport after a gunman allegedly opened fire inside the terminal.
Initial reports indicate gunshots were heard from the lower concourse at about 1.30pm on Sunday afternoon with witnesses reporting hearing between eight to 10 shots.
Over a dozen police vehicles have been stationed outside the airport with armed Australian Federal Police officers standing guard outside.
ACT Police confirmed one person had been arrested and a gun was found.
Footage posted to Facebook shows a man being apprehended by police inside the airport
‘CCTV has been reviewed and at this time the person in custody is believed to be the only person responsible for this incident,’ police said in a statement.
‘The Canberra Airport terminal was evacuated as a precaution and the situation at the airport is contained.
‘ACT Policing requires members of the public to not attend the airport at this time.
‘There have been no reported injuries.
‘ACT Policing have taken carriage of the incident and a further update will be provided later today.’
A video taken from inside the terminal showed a man being pinned down by a police officer with what looked like a gun nearby.
Images posted to social media show bullet holes in the concourse windows (pictured) with reports suggesting the alleged shooter fired at the glass several times
Over a dozen police vehicles are stationed outside the airport with AFP officers guarding the outside of the building
The video showed another police officer rushing to the scene before the man was handcuffed and led away.
Flights in and out of Canberra have been temporarily suspended with passengers on planes on the tarmac grounded asked to wait on the tarmac.
Images posted to social media show bullet holes in the concourse windows with reports suggesting the alleged shooter fired at the glass several times.
Journalist Louise Milligan tweeted that she was in the Qantas Lounge when she and her fellow passengers were asked to evacuate.
‘OK yes, apparently gunfire. We are all outside now and police are questioning people about what they saw and heard,’ she said.
‘They’re checking inside the terminal to make sure it is OK.’
Hundreds have been evacuated from Canberra Airport and asked to stand outside the building as AFP officers ensure the building is safe
A police spokeswoman confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that there had been an incident at the airport (pictured, a plane lands in Canberra)
Police were seen taking statements from witnesses as hundreds w outside the airport after the terminal was declared a crime scene and cordoned-off.
ABC journalist Dan Bourchier said passengers were waiting on the tarmac as AFP officers conduct a ‘security sweep’ of the airport.
He said his pilot told grounded travellers police were treating the area as a crime scene and that people were being prevented from entering.
Other confused passengers took to social media following initial reports of an alleged shooter.
‘Stuck on a plane on the tarmac while there is apparently a shooter in the Canberra airport….what the f***is going on???’ one man tweeted.
ABC reporter Lily Thomson was forced to run and hid behind an information desk before being told by security to evacuate into the carpark.
‘It was terrifying. We didn’t know what was going on. The look on people’s faces was quite terrifying,’ she said.
Police said flights in and out of Canberra would resume as soon as possible and believe services will be up and running by Sunday afternoon.
More to come.
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