It was a sad day at Orlando International Airport when news broke that a TSA agent committed suicide after jumping from the balcony of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the airport. He landed near a few security checkpoints.
Passengers reported hearing a loud bang, and some mistook it for a gunshot. It soon became clear that it was a TSA agent in his 40s. His name has yet to be released.
The Federal Aviation Administration briefly grounded flights and closed gates 70-129 for a few hours.
The TSA agent jumped at 9:30 a.m. and was in critical condition before he was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.
Orlando International Airport has since resumed flights, though there are a few delays.
UPDATE: The Orlando International Airport is working to return to normal after an on-duty officer “fell from a hotel balcony inside the airport and died,” according to TSA. Passengers can expect delays. https://t.co/87xw9sKUbP pic.twitter.com/j2msfz0CmK
— Spectrum News 13 (@MyNews13) February 2, 2019
James Shaw, a guest at the Hyatt told Local10.com that he saw the man climb over the railing: “Thought it was strange and then thought he may be observing the security area below since he was TSA.”
“I wish I would have said something to him,” he added.
The Transportation Security Administration confirmed that the TSA agent had just finished his shift before committing suicide.
No reports have yet to be released that connects the TSA agent’s suicide to the airlines/tsa-calling-in-reserve-officers-due-to-government-shutdown.html” target=”_self” rel=”nofollow”>recent government shutdown that required thousands of airlines/tsa-agents-to-receive-partial-payment-amid-government-shutdown.html” target=”_self” rel=”nofollow”>TSA agents to work for over a month without pay.
