This story is on a developing situation, and has been and will be updated.
A 63-year-old man attacked TSA agents at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport with a machete and wasp spray on Friday night.
The man, identified by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office as Richard White, of Kenner, was transported to a local hospital and underwent surgery, but died Saturday afternoon around 4 p.m. in a New Orleans hospital.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand told the Associated Press that investigators are still trying to piece together witness interviews. Normand said White was swinging the machete and chasing a female TSA agent when JPSO Lt. Heather Slyve opened fire, hitting him in the face, chest and leg.
A TSA agent was struck by one of the bullets in the arm.
Deputies discovered Molotov cocktails (half-pint-sized Mason jars filled with gasoline and with cloth wicks) in a bag White was carrying, and the bomb squad found smoke bombs — and tanks of acetylene, Freon and oxygen — in his car.
"We have been able to determine there is a mental illness component," Sheriff Normand said in a Saturday news conference at the airport.
White was a cab driver who recently received his chauffeur's license, according to WDSU-TV.
Farah Stockman, a columnist for the Boston Globe, and other bystanders were in the terminal during the incident and sent these tweets:
People had heard gunshots. Everyone was hiding behind chairs and in doorways. Made our way to exit. Body was lying in a pool of blood.— Farah Stockman (@fstockman) March 21, 2015
A knife was lying by the body. A woman (maybe tsa agent?) In blue had been lightly stabbed. Another guy appeared to have been nicked, too.— Farah Stockman (@fstockman) March 21, 2015
Lots of terrified pple. Women crying. Someone apparently fell down and that created panic. Cops ran in, creating more panic.— Farah Stockman (@fstockman) March 21, 2015
They began taking him out on a stretcher pic.twitter.com/bW4Vn8j2IO— Farah Stockman (@fstockman) March 21, 2015
#msy machete near tsa shortly after incident. Victim down. Not my photo - fellow traveler texted to me. pic.twitter.com/gaKnKtnBlq— Rebecca Slomski (@Becky_SAP) March 21, 2015
#msy pic.twitter.com/zR23JrnTqX— Rebecca Slomski (@Becky_SAP) March 21, 2015
#msy pic.twitter.com/x4pT87PBOa— Rebecca Slomski (@Becky_SAP) March 21, 2015
#msy pic.twitter.com/m1N97XcTVf— Rebecca Slomski (@Becky_SAP) March 21, 2015
Agents inside the home of 63 yr old man who attacked New Orleans airport TSA agent with a machete pic.twitter.com/VnIzR8lIGi— wynton yates (@WyntonYates) March 21, 2015
Statement from New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu on the incident Friday night at Louis Armstrong International Airport:
"The situation at Louis Armstrong International Airport is under control and the airport is secure. There is no threat to the public at this time, and the airport is returning to normal operations. We expect Concourse B - where the incident occurred - to fully reopen tomorrow.
"TSA agents, law enforcement officers and airport officials all acted quickly to stop the perpetrator and secure the scene. Our thoughts are with our security officials injured in the line of duty, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery.
"Passenger safety is the number one priority at Louis Armstrong International Airport, and we will continue to closely monitor the situation."
Southwest Airlines will operate out of concourse C. The airport access road is open at this time.— New Orleans Airport (@NO_Airport) March 21, 2015
Louis Armstrong Airport is located in Jefferson and St. Charles parishes, but is owned and operated by the City of New Orleans.
Southwest Airlines flights at Armstrong airport leave from the concourse where the attack took place. Many flights were canceled or delayed.
Copyright 2015 WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio
