What could’ve been a violent and unexpected tragedy in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, was thankfully thwarted by police officers and tippers. The suspect, Billy Joe Cagle, a self-described Christian nationalist, was arrested, and his assault rifle was confiscated. Further investigation by the Atlanta police has led to the conclusion that the man was preparing his mass shooting terror attack at the airport.
According to the Atlanta Police, and as you can see in the bodycam footage below, the 49-year-old Cagle entered the terminal around 9:31 a.m., carrying no visible weapon, but was believed to be scouting the area. A couple of police officers managed to stop and handcuff Cagle before he could carry out his plans.
Turns out Cagle’s family members had alerted authorities after seeing alarming social media posts and hearing him make threats about shooting. Within minutes, police located and arrested him inside the terminal at 9:54 a.m. A Springfield AR-15 rifle with 27 rounds of ammunition was later found in his truck parked outside.
Now, Cagle, who has described himself as a Christian nationalist online, faces multiple state and federal charges, including terroristic threats, attempted violence at an international airport, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Cagle’s quick capture likely prevented a tragedy at the world’s busiest airport.
Cagle has since been transferred to federal custody and now faces additional federal charges, including interstate communication of threats and attempted violence at an international airport.
People online were alarmed at Cagle’s intentions
It’s not clear what exactly Cagle had on his mind when he decided to he will commit a terror attack on random people in an airport, or what his goals were. Regardless, people online were disturbed by his behavior and how close he came to murdering several people. Cagle has apparently been in and out of jails and is no stranger to criminal charges since 1999.
“I feel like once again, people don’t understand exactly what FAFO means! You can’t make threats like this and then show up to the place you’re threatening with a gun in your car. I hope he goes to prison for a long time…” according to an X user. Others were wondering how he still has a license to drive and a gun despite having a long history of criminal cases.
“This fat demon was going to k*ll random people at the busiest airport. Devils,” as pointed out by another X user. And despite not explicitly saying his political leanings during the arrest or in a recent statement, a lot of people still equated Cagle’s beliefs with current political ideals and motivations, with many implying something with, “Gee, I wonder who he voted for…”
