A violent altercation on Christmas evening at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport left three people with gunshot wounds—one critically injured—and another with a stab wound, according to Phoenix police. Authorities believe the incident, which occurred at a restaurant in Terminal 4 outside the security checkpoint, stemmed from a family dispute.
The victims include a woman with life-threatening gunshot injuries and two men who are in stable condition. A man with a stab wound and a juvenile have been detained in connection with the incident. All five individuals involved are believed to know each other, Phoenix police confirmed.
“I do believe that this was a family dispute that escalated,” Phoenix police Sgt. Mayra Reeson told reporters.
The airport temporarily paused some operations in Terminal 4 during the incident, but most services have since resumed, according to a spokesperson for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The spokesperson did not comment on airport policies regarding firearms, redirecting such inquiries to law enforcement.
Police emphasized that the attack occurred in a publicly accessible, unsecured area of the terminal, which does not require TSA screening. “Anyone with a legally owned firearm in the state can have access in the non-secure area,” Sgt. Reeson explained.
Fox 10 Phoenix reports that Sgt. Reeson added, “I do not recommend bringing guns to an airport.”
