Detectives Arrest Deerfield Beach Man In FLL Airport Bomb Threat

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The Broward Sheriff's Office has arrested a man from Deerfield Beach after making a bomb threat at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Saturday morning.

The suspect, Rosen Wegal, 74, was engaged in a heated verbal dispute with a ticket counter employee at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport located at 100 Terminal Drive in Fort Lauderdale, according to authorities.

Rosen Wegal, 74
Credit: Broward Sheriff's Office

During the dispute, Wegal attempted to walk away from the ticket counter located in Terminal 2 without his carry-on luggage. The employee advised Wegal that he needed to take his luggage with him, and he responded by telling the employee there was a bomb in the bag.

The suspect was still at the airport when taken into custody, and the threat was determined to be unfounded.

Wegal is currently being held at BSO Main Jail and faces one count of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction.

Two terminals at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport reopened after being evacuated Saturday morning due to the incident.

Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified, shortly after 8:30 a.m. Saturday of a bomb threat at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

As a precaution, Terminals 2 and 3 were evacuated and entry to the airport was shut down, deputies said.

BSO’s bomb squad unit was also on scene investigating the incident.

Passenger Christiana Saints was on her way to the airport to go to a bridal shower as the incident occurred.

"Our Uber driver couldn't come to the area, so he basically had no choice but to drop off us on the side of the road," Saints said.

Social media showed traffic backups on roads leading to the airport, however upper and lower roadways have also been reopened and airport operations are gradually returning to normal, the airport said in a tweet.

This is a developing story. Please check back to the NBC 6 app for updates.

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