Chaos struck Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport's Terminal 4 on Christmas night when a violent conflict escalated into a shooting and a stabbing incident outside of the security checkpoints, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. The incident, which took place at around 9:40 p.m., resulted in injuries to four individuals and the brief closure of the terminal's security checkpoint and the Phoenix Sky Train, but normal operations have since resumed.
Police responding to the scene discovered one adult female and two adult males with gunshot wounds; the adult female's condition was listed as life-threatening while the men are in stable condition, the violence stemming from a scuffle among a group of people who knew each other, including an adult male treated for stab wounds and a juvenile girl detained in a parking garage no community visitors were harmed, this according to Sergeant Mayra Reeson, who advised in a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, "I do not recommend bringing guns to an airport."
As the investigation continued, a separate but related incident occurred with an individual reportedly arriving at the scene armed after receiving a text of an active shooter situation, who was then detained after an altercation with police, as explained by Phoenix Police's interview with Arizona's Family. There are currently no active threats at the airport, and flights were not affected by the investigation.
Travelers heading to Terminal 4, which serves as the main hub for Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, were advised to expect potential delays, especially near the B and C gates, which were briefly inaccessible, the terminal and Sky Train having resumed normal operations post-incident without arrests made however, Phoenix Police confirms, "No suspects are being sought after, airport operations have resumed to normal business," in a statement posted on X, as stated by FOX 10 Phoenix.
