New Orleans Airport Office shoots Machete-Wielding Attacker

A scary incident took place last night at the New Orleans airport. A man attacked a TSA agent with a wasp spray and a machete causing panic.

Last night at around 8pm local time a man got shot at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. The 62-year-old male has walked into the security checkpoint and pulled out a can of wasp spray and began spraying several TSA Agents as well as several passengers. Then the man identified by police as local resident Richard White pulled out a large machete. 

The attacker tried to make his move through the magnetometer, but a TSA agent blocked him with a bag. He broke through to the end of the checkpoint at this time the the on-duty Law Enforcement officer Heather Slyve approached with drawn weapon. 

As White came closer to Lt. Slyve, while continuing to swing the machete, Lt. Slyve fired three rounds striking White in the facial area, the chest and the leg. White was transported to University Hospital where he is currently undergoing surgery. A bullet from Lt. Slyve also hit a TSA agent in the arm, but the injury was not life-threatening. 

Several photos and videos of the attack at the New Orleans airport have been shared on Twitter. 

#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/x4pT87PBOa— Rebecca Slomski (@Becky_SAP) March 21, 2015

The Police report says that Mr. White had only a few minor arrests. More details about the incident are not available at this point.

The unusual choice of weapons suggest that this was not a terrorist attack, but a personal ill-minded attack. The shooter seems to survive the incident and might be questioned about his motives in the next days.