Multiple Victims Of Airport Shooting In Life-Threatening Condition

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter 

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – More than a dozen units packed with victims from a deadly shooting at Fort Lauderdale airport rushed to Broward Health Medical Center Friday afternoon.

Broward Sheriff's deputies said a gunman opened fire in Terminal 2 of Fort Lauderdale - Hollywood International Airport (FLL) just before 1 p.m.

A total of 11 people were injured in the shooting. Of those injured, five people died and six remain at the medical center. Initial reports said eight were wounded.

The Broward Sheriff's Office said 37 other people were injured after the shooting.

A family member has identified the first shooting victim killed in the attack as 62-year-old Terry Andres of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

His daughter told the local television station that her father was at the airport with his wife, who was unharmed, and that the pair were going on vacation.

CBS4's Gary Nelson says a high-ranking fire rescue source says several of the eight wounded victims are in critical or life-threatening condition as of Friday evening.

The hospital released a statement on the matter, saying:

"As a Level I Trauma Center, Broward Health Medical Center received six trauma patients directly related to the incident at Fort Lauderdale- Hollywood International Airport. The first patient came to us at 1:21pm."

Earlier in the day, at least 14 units had arrived at the trauma center following the shooting.

Nelson reports one woman who got out was holding an infant and had blood running down the side of her blouse. It was unclear if that was her blood.

Broward Fire Rescue officials told Nelson that due to the shooting a stampeded ensued and in the chaos some people were injured as well.

Inside, in a waiting room, Raynard James was watching the breaking news reports of the mass shooting.

He had no idea that he'd soon be in the middle of what he describes as a very sad scene.

"And then for me to come be here, already, just seeing the people come from the airport here it's crazy," he said. "I heard some screaming, some crying for other family members and to see if their family members were all right they were all right."

Douglas Seidler had just dropped off his brother and sister-in-law to the airport, who had just returned from a cruise and were headed home to Texas.

When he heard about the shooting, he went straight to the hospital because he knew his sister-in-law had been injured during her cruise and figured they might go there.

"They heard gunshots and then everybody ran outside and they've been outside ever since," Seidler said.

On Friday evening, two doctors spoke to the public about what they called 'chaos' earlier when the units came in.

"Actually if you took a video of it, it looked like chaos but it's controlled. This whole system worked very well today," said a Dr. Ralph Guarneri of Broward Health Medical Center.

A sentiment echoed by Gov. Rick Scott.

"I came to the hospital now to do exactly what I did after calls. I think the individuals that take care of these patients that end up in these hospitals. They are here working hard to save peoples lives," he said.

Dr. Guarneri said that the hospital staff continuously trains for events like this.

When asked about the last time they dealt with a mass casualty situation, Dr. Guarneri said, "the last one I remember being involved in was with the Haiti earthquake."

Meantime, authorities are trying to find a motive for the deadly shooting.

A law enforcement source identifies the accused shooter as Esteban Santiago Ruiz, 26, of New Jersey. The source said he had an active military ID for the U.S. Army. Sources say he had a concealed weapons permit on him. The source added he had a minor criminal history.