A Transportation Security Administration officer died Saturday after jumping from an indoor hotel balcony onto airline passengers who were standing below in security lines at Orlando International Airport, according to local police.
Orlando police issued a statement Saturday that said a person “jumped” from the Hyatt Regency Hotel balcony into the atrium of the airport. The unidentified person was a 40-something year-old man later identified as a TSA officer.
At 9:30 a.m., an individual jumped from the Hyatt Regency Hotel into the atrium area of the airport. A male in his 40s was found in critical condition and transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Preliminary information suggests an apparent suicide.
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) February 2, 2019
TSA confirmed the person died as a result of the incident but described it as a fall, not an intentional jump.
“The TSA confirms that an off-duty officer fell from a hotel balcony inside Orlando International Airport this morning and is deceased,” the agency said in a statement.
However, Orlando police said “preliminary information suggests an apparent suicide.”
Some passengers told me off camera they’re trying to rebook their flights. Many of them aren’t allowed in security area. @WFTV pic.twitter.com/0wcOtkn2IA
— Johny Fernandez (@jfernandezwftv) February 2, 2019
During the incident at the checkpoint for gates 70 to 129, passengers ran into a post-security part of the airport, which TSA said forced them to rescreen people.
These pictures were sent in to our newsroom after the deadly incident by a witness. We have blurred the face of the TSA worker until his ID is released. You’ll hear from this witness on @WFTV starting at 6 pm. Source: James Shaw @WFTV @MCO pic.twitter.com/saVn5z0l00
— Johny Fernandez (@jfernandezwftv) February 2, 2019
