US air marshals this evening shot and killed an American Airlines passenger who claimed to be carrying a bomb, as he tried to escape into the terminal at Miami International Airport after arriving from Colombia.
Federal officials said the 44-year-old American indicated he had a bomb in his carry-on bag during a flight from the Colombian city of Medellin, where airport security is generally considered tight.
He was confronted by two air marshals upon landing in Miami, tried to flee into the terminal along the passenger ramp, and was shot when he reportedly ignored an order to put his bag on the ground.
"The passenger then reached into his carry-on bag, at which point, consistent with air marshal training, the air marshals took the appropriate actions.
"Shots were fired as the team attempted to subdue the subject," said a Department of Homeland Security spokesman.
A law enforcement official said later that "no device has been located at this time." The rest of the plane's 130-odd passengers were briefly sequestered for questioning but other flights in and out of Miami were not affected.
Agencies