The accused gunman who shot more than a dozen people at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport pulled his firearm out at baggage claim, officials said. The shooting killed 5 people and injured six others.
Friday's shooting raises concern about the safety of baggage claim areas at airports.
Airline passengers are allowed to travel with unloaded firearms and ammunition as long as they are declared as checked bags.
Transportation Security Administration requires unloaded guns to be stored in locked hard-sided containers.
"Once the individual is off the plane and retrieves his baggage and if he intends to use that weapon in an airport environment then the weapon is immediately available to him or her, as was potentially the case in this incident," said Bill Bratton, former NYPD commissioner.
If a firearm is loaded and is not declared, the passenger carrying the gun will be arrested.
In 2015, more than 2,653 firearms were confiscated by TSA agents at checkpoints. Numbers for 2016 are not yet available.
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Investigators are working to determine if the suspect checked his weapon legally.
In Florida, it is illegal to openly carry firearms in public. However, a new bill repealing that law is scheduled to be introduced to the state Judiciary Committee Tuesday. It's unclear how Friday's shooting might impact the measure.
