Gatwick Airport police Taser knifeman holding two huge blades as he walks through security sparking mass evacuation of passengers
- Transport hub put into lockdown when man tried to go through staff security
- Passengers evacuated and armed police arrived and Tasered the knifeman
- Suspect had been ‘making threats to kill’ and is being held by Sussex Police
- Did you see what happened or do you know him? Email: tips@dailymail.com
Published: 00:13 EDT, 3 June 2019 | Updated: 09:39 EDT, 3 June 2019
A man was Tasered by police after he walked through security at Gatwick Airport carrying two huge knives, sparking an emergency evacuation of passengers.
The transport hub was put into lockdown at about 2am this morning when the 30-year-old man, who made threats to kill, was seen inside the South Terminal holding a kitchen knife in each hand.
Passengers were evacuated as armed police flooded the scene and Tasered the knifeman before he was able to harm anyone.
The incident happened in a staff-only security area, raising the possibility the man worked at the airport.
The man was seen on CCTV walking through a staff security area carrying two huge knives (left) before he was Tasered by police
Sussex Police said the incident was not related to terrorism, and the man was arrested on suspicion of possessing offensive weapons and making threats to kill.
The force confirmed the man was not a ‘travelling passenger’, but it is unclear whether he was an employee.
Holidaymaker Hayley Wilkins was also caught up in the incident, reported The Sun.
She wrote on Facebook: ‘Landed and whilst waiting for luggage got evacuated… still at airport. Man detained as he was walking through with knives.’
Another traveller, Atipin Kyerewaa, posted: ‘At Gatwick airport, there was a security risk but police have just removed the guy, we’ve been told our lives were at risk.’
A 29-year-old holidaymaker named Adam told Mirror Online: ‘Our baggage hadn’t come through yet and we got an emergency tannoy saying there was a nasty incident and we must evacuate as soon as possible.
‘The first thing I noticed was the baggage handlers leg it. There was a mad rush.’
Passengers were allowed to return at 2.45am. ‘We are a bit shaken up. It was very much a close call,’ Adam said.
The suspect – who was not a travelling passenger – was arrested on suspicion of possessing offensive weapons and making threats to kill. He is seen here waving his knives at police
The knifeman, from Crawley, West Sussex, cowers on the floor as police aim a Taser at him
One officer aims his Taser at the man (left) before rushing forward to put him in handcuffs
Sussex Police said: ‘At 1.55am today we responded to an incident in the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport when a man attempted to go through a staff search area openly carrying a kitchen knife in each hand.
‘The area was secured and the man was challenged by officers, who used Taser to detain him. This is not being treated as terrorist-related.
‘A 30-year-old man from Crawley, who was not a travelling passenger, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing offensive weapons and making threats to kill. He currently remains in police custody.’
Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw said: ‘Officers at Gatwick are there to keep passengers and staff safe. This incident was dealt with swiftly and no members of the public or police were harmed.’
A spokesman for Gatwick Airport told MailOnline: ‘Due to an earlier police incident, South Terminal baggage reclaim was temporarily evacuated at 02.00 as a precautionary measure. The area has now fully reopened.’
The spokesman refused to answer any further questions and referred MailOnline to police.
Gatwick Airport (pictured in stock image) was evacuated early on Monday morning
Advertisement
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
