Trapped inside the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int'l Airport during Friday's shooting rampage, Dwayne Dickerson sent chilling text messages to loved ones as he ran for cover.
"I wanted to let my family know that I loved them and that if I didn't make it out I was thinking about them at the the last moment," said Dickerson.
Dickerson had just arrived at the airport when the initial shots rang out in the baggage claim area of Terminal 2.
"I looked at the passengers next to me. I said they're shooting."
He said that at first no one wanted to assume the worst, but with each loud bang came more confusion and panic with passengers and airport employees taking off in various directions.
"I ran up to a ticketing agent and said where are the exits. Show us where the exits are. We need to get people out of here. Unfortunately, I believe she was in shock because she was just frozen."
Dickerson and about 40 other men, women and children hid in a closet that was to the right of the ticket counter.
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He took cell phone video of the small space moments after it was cleared to exit.
"I had to make a decision along with other passengers. Do we go in this room that turned out to be a supply closet about the size of a bathroom in a house."
No one really said much Dickerson said. Everyone stayed close to their phones and sent text messages, as the lone shooter opened fire on the other side of the closet door.
"We could heat the shots and it seemed like shots were coming from close proximity, maybe upstairs, but we had no visible frame of reference," explained Dickerson.
Now, Dickerson questions his sense of security and will think twice before taking flight.
"I thinking I'm going to be a lot more careful. A lot more vigilant of my surroundings as I'm going through an airport," he said.
