Woman stabs 3 people, including police officer, cab driver in Atlanta airport
A knife-wielding woman allegedly stabbed three people — including a police lieutenant — inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Wednesday, according to officials.
Frightening footage showed the woman, identified by WSBTV as Damaris Milton, 44, waving the blade at approaching officers as travelers stood within feet of her, only separated by glass.
Police were alerted around 4:45 p.m. to the armed woman who stood outside the security checkpoint near the airport’s south terminal, which features domestic flights.
Milton’s alleged stabbing spree started when she attacked her taxi driver upon her arrival at the airport, before police tried to keep her in one area and “limit her movement.”
As police attempted to talk Milton into dropping the knife, she allegedly stabbed an airport clerk and an APD lieutenant in the leg.
All three victims are in stable condition and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Milton was arrested and taken into custody following the stabbings.
“It doesn’t appear that there’s a connection between her and them [victims], but that’s something we’ll be looking into,” said Atlanta police Sgt. John Chafee.
“Charges are going to be filed at some point,” Chafee said as police are still piecing together what caused Milton to lash out.
Other footage posted to social media captured other travelers in line at the security gate kneeling down for safety.
Sarah Nagem, from Raleigh, North Carolina, said she heard someone say “Get on the floor, get on the floor,” the Journal-Constitution reported.
Nagem said she never saw the suspect but was ordered by someone to remain on the floor, saying, “They [airport staff] were trying to reassure us that, you know, we were safe, that it wasn’t someone trying to create violence randomly.”
Despite the chaotic scene, the FAA said there were no cancellations or delays at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Fox 5 added.