Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport narrowly avoided a mass shooting on Monday, thanks to family members who alerted authorities to the gunman’s plans. Atlanta police arrested Billy Joe Cagle of Cartersville, Georgia, before he could go through with it, likely saving several lives. ABC7 News Reports. When officers searched Cagle’s Chevrolet pickup outside the airport, they found a Springfield AR-15 rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition.
“Cartersville Police were alerted by Mr. Cagle’s family that he was streaming on social media that he was headed to the Atlanta airport, in their words, to ‘shoot it,’ and the family stated that he was in possession of an assault rifle,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a news conference, where he also said Cagle had a previous conviction for a crime. “We are here today to inform you of a success and not a tragedy because a family saw something and said something.”
According to Cartersville Police Capt. Greg Sparacio, Cagle “intended to harm as many people as possible.” But while they were able to stop him before he actually hurt anyone, he came much closer than the people flying that day probably would have liked. Surveillance video shows Cagle arriving at the airport around 9:30 am. He then walked to a TSA security checkpoint and, according to Schierbaum, took “a great interest in that area.” Had he walked in shooting, things likely would have ended very differently, but instead, Atlanta police already had a photo of him provided by the family and were able to arrest him without incident.
Facing federal charges
Atlanta’s 11 Alive News also reports this that Cagle is now in federal custody facing a slew of federal charges, including making terroristic threats, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon. According to Schierbaum, Atlanta police also plan to investigate where he got the gun, “which he could not legally possess.”
“As alleged in this complaint, Cagle threatened to commit senseless, heinous violence against innocent travelers, at the busiest airport in the world, with a high-powered weapon that he had no legal right to possess,” U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said in a statement. “Thanks to the vigilance of other citizens and the quick action of law enforcement, a terrible tragedy was averted.”
“I know people will see this and think differently, but as a person he’s a good guy,” said family friend Nick Roberts Urd toldbecause that’s what they always say right after someone is arrested for a serious crime. Roberts also claimed that he called Cagle the day before his arrest after a social media post raised some concerns. “I was shocked, very shocked,” Roberts explained. “The way he left the conversation last night, I didn’t think he was thinking about anything like that.”
And yet, despite what Republicans would like you to believe, Cagle was not a member of TRANSTIFA. When Meidas Touch delved into his history of social mediaIt showed that he regularly shared pro-Trump posts and defended his role in the January 6 insurrection attempt. Cagle also appeared to be a big fan of the Confederacy, even going so far as to share a post claiming that the Confederate flag is a Christian symbol. Other reports suggested he was a gun fanatic. You know, exactly the kind of person you’d expect to try to shoot up an airport.
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