Accidental firearm discharge causes panic at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The accidental discharge of a firearm triggered false alarms of an active shooter at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Saturday and disrupted travel during the busy weekend.

The airport said on Twitter that at about 1:30 p.m. a weapon was accidentally discharged at the security screening area, and there is no threat of an active shooter. Atlanta police are on the scene and an investigation is underway, the airport said. Officials have given an all-clear for operations to resume, the airport said.

Police have not reported any injuries, according to Fox 5.

Although accidental, the gunshot caused panic among travelers at the airport. CBS46 posted videos from social media of frightened passengers taking cover while others were led onto the tarmac as a safety precaution.

Another Twitter account monitoring flight delays at the Atlanta airport said there was a ground stop for some arriving flights.

Erika Zeidler, who was traveling from Atlanta to Anchorage, Alaska, told CNN she was sitting in a concourse when people began running down the hallway.

"We assumed they were late for a flight," she said. "Then all of a sudden more people started running down the terminal and were screaming there was a shooter."

She and others took shelter in a TGI Fridays restaurant.

The shooting occurred as airports nationwide have become increasingly busy as Thanksgiving approaches. The Transportation Security Administration said 2.2 million passengers were screened across the country on Friday, more than double a year ago and near pre-pandemic levels.