Update: 2:11 p.m.
Anchorage FBI spokesperson Staci Feger-Pellessier confirmed that Esteban Santiago is currently an Anchorage resident. However Feger-Pellessier did not answer questions about reports that in November 2016, Santiago walked into the Anchorage FBI field office and told agents that the government had forced him to work for ISIS.
Original story:
A man believed to have been living in Anchorage opened fire at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport this morning — killing five and injuring eight according to the Broward County Sheriff’s office.
26-year-old Esteban Santiago was taken into custody at the airport, allegedly after he ran out of ammunition.
Santiago was an Anchorage resident as late as last year. He also served in the Alaska Army National Guard until August 2016, according to Alaska Army National Guard spokesperson Candis Olmstead.
The Associated Press reported that Santiago’s brother, Bryan, said Santiago received psychological treatment while in Alaska.
In a Facebook post, Broward County commissioner Chip Lamarca said the suspect was a passenger on a Canadian flight with a checked gun.
However, the Canadian Embassy said the suspect did not arrive from Canada and was not on an Air Canada flight, but instead appeared to have flown from Anchorage, Alaska.
Lamarca said that once Santiago claimed his bag, he went to a restroom to load the gun and then fired on people at the airport, according to Broward County officials.
Mark Lea, a passenger who was inside the baggage terminal, told the Associated Press that, the shooter went through about three magazines before he threw the gun onto the floor and lied spread-eagle until officers came up to him.
This is a developing story. Check alaskapublic.org for updates.
Wesley Early covers Anchorage life and city politics for Alaska Public Media. Reach him at wearly@alaskapublic.org and follow him on X at @wesley_early. Read more about Wesley here.
