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| False Reports of Gunfire at J.F.K. Airport Offer a Real Case Study in Security | False Reports of Gunfire at J.F.K. Airport Offer a Real Case Study in Security |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| As a human stampede tore its way through a terminal at Kennedy International Airport, a Transportation Safety Administration agent running along was heard screaming, “There’s a bomb!” Another agent yelled, “Someone’s been shot!” | As a human stampede tore its way through a terminal at Kennedy International Airport, a Transportation Safety Administration agent running along was heard screaming, “There’s a bomb!” Another agent yelled, “Someone’s been shot!” |
| Some passengers found their way to the tarmac, scurrying underneath a parked jet toward a different, safe terminal — only to be refused entry by a police officer. As other officers in the New York airport’s police command center tried to determine what was going on, they were unable to gain immediate access to most of the video feeds from the terminal’s security cameras, which are operated by American Airlines. | |
| The chaos on Sunday night followed what appeared to be two false alarms of a gunman in the airport’s terminals. | The chaos on Sunday night followed what appeared to be two false alarms of a gunman in the airport’s terminals. |
| And yet, with no loss of life or serious injuries, the bizarre episode is being seen as something of a gift, giving officials a case study in airport security and the gaps within. The events of that night also offer a clinic in the human capacity for panic — the stunning effect, on a population that has more information than ever at its fingertips, of essentially shouting “fire” in a crowded theater. | And yet, with no loss of life or serious injuries, the bizarre episode is being seen as something of a gift, giving officials a case study in airport security and the gaps within. The events of that night also offer a clinic in the human capacity for panic — the stunning effect, on a population that has more information than ever at its fingertips, of essentially shouting “fire” in a crowded theater. |
| It is unclear whether the coordination and communication among law enforcement agencies at the airport followed protocol, but witness accounts from passengers and information from the police make evident that crowd control and maintaining passenger safety fell apart at times. Ironically, the hunt for a gunman was complicated by the fact that there was none, and so the search for one continued and grew, perhaps fueling the panic. | It is unclear whether the coordination and communication among law enforcement agencies at the airport followed protocol, but witness accounts from passengers and information from the police make evident that crowd control and maintaining passenger safety fell apart at times. Ironically, the hunt for a gunman was complicated by the fact that there was none, and so the search for one continued and grew, perhaps fueling the panic. |
| On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said that he would create a review panel to investigate the events that caused, and then fed, the chaos that followed. | On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said that he would create a review panel to investigate the events that caused, and then fed, the chaos that followed. |
| “The whole incident was unfortunate, but actually we can learn from these situations,” Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, said. “I’m putting together a multiagency team of state officials who will then review the response to see how we can make it better.” | “The whole incident was unfortunate, but actually we can learn from these situations,” Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, said. “I’m putting together a multiagency team of state officials who will then review the response to see how we can make it better.” |
| Interviews with officials familiar with security at the airport show a patchwork of agencies with various roles. Day-to-day policing falls to the Port Authority Police Department, a force of some 1,800 officers assigned to airports, bridges, tunnels, ports and several other transportation facilities. | Interviews with officials familiar with security at the airport show a patchwork of agencies with various roles. Day-to-day policing falls to the Port Authority Police Department, a force of some 1,800 officers assigned to airports, bridges, tunnels, ports and several other transportation facilities. |
| However, that department does not take responsibility for policing the entire airport: The flow of traffic dropping off and picking up passengers at the terminals — essentially the front line of security — is the responsibility of the airlines, which employ private security guards for the job. The New York Police Department responds to calls to assist the Port Authority police at Kennedy, and is not the first-responder agency. | However, that department does not take responsibility for policing the entire airport: The flow of traffic dropping off and picking up passengers at the terminals — essentially the front line of security — is the responsibility of the airlines, which employ private security guards for the job. The New York Police Department responds to calls to assist the Port Authority police at Kennedy, and is not the first-responder agency. |
| There is also a National Guard presence there, along with T.S.A. officers and agents with the United States Customs and Border Protection. But the Port Authority officers assigned to the airport — a number that is upward of 400, a former police officer who was assigned there said — can seem few and far between. On a typical shift, there are only one or two officers on patrol in a terminal, a huge, cavernous area, he said. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the size of the police presence candidly. | There is also a National Guard presence there, along with T.S.A. officers and agents with the United States Customs and Border Protection. But the Port Authority officers assigned to the airport — a number that is upward of 400, a former police officer who was assigned there said — can seem few and far between. On a typical shift, there are only one or two officers on patrol in a terminal, a huge, cavernous area, he said. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the size of the police presence candidly. |
| Kenneth Maxwell, a former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation who later worked as a top security official at JetBlue Airways, said the Port Authority police contingent at Kennedy Airport generally performed well, particularly the elite squad held in reserve for emergencies. “They try their best,” Mr. Maxwell said, “but I think they’re constrained a little bit by the number of people they have.” | Kenneth Maxwell, a former agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation who later worked as a top security official at JetBlue Airways, said the Port Authority police contingent at Kennedy Airport generally performed well, particularly the elite squad held in reserve for emergencies. “They try their best,” Mr. Maxwell said, “but I think they’re constrained a little bit by the number of people they have.” |
| Investigators are still trying to learn what started the panic. In recent days, they have been contacting some of the original 911 callers, said two officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees New York City’s airports. They requested anonymity because the investigation was continuing. | Investigators are still trying to learn what started the panic. In recent days, they have been contacting some of the original 911 callers, said two officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees New York City’s airports. They requested anonymity because the investigation was continuing. |
| One theory that has gained traction in news reports is that passengers watching the Olympics and celebrating the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s latest gold-medal victory may have made enough noise to convince someone that the terminal was under attack. While the police have not confirmed that, a later review of video footage suggests that the disruption began near the Juan Valdez Cafe in Terminal 8. | One theory that has gained traction in news reports is that passengers watching the Olympics and celebrating the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt’s latest gold-medal victory may have made enough noise to convince someone that the terminal was under attack. While the police have not confirmed that, a later review of video footage suggests that the disruption began near the Juan Valdez Cafe in Terminal 8. |
| The first 911 call came in at 9:33 p.m. The caller, a woman in Terminal 8, said shots had been fired, one of the officials said. A minute later, another woman called with a similar report. Other calls soon followed, almost 100 in all. By 9:57, the panic seemed to have spread: A call came in regarding an emergency in Terminal 1, the official said. | The first 911 call came in at 9:33 p.m. The caller, a woman in Terminal 8, said shots had been fired, one of the officials said. A minute later, another woman called with a similar report. Other calls soon followed, almost 100 in all. By 9:57, the panic seemed to have spread: A call came in regarding an emergency in Terminal 1, the official said. |
| The terminals, although near each other on an airport map, are separated by the Van Wyck Expressway. | |
| One of the Port Authority officials suggested that travelers in Terminal 1, upon seeing social media accounts of shots fired, may have concluded that the emergency was occurring there, rather than in Terminal 8. | |
| Jay Carson, a screenwriter and former spokesman for Hillary Clinton, was in Terminal 1 with his wife that night. An alarm had sounded, as if a secure door had opened, but there was no warning for what would happen next, he said. | Jay Carson, a screenwriter and former spokesman for Hillary Clinton, was in Terminal 1 with his wife that night. An alarm had sounded, as if a secure door had opened, but there was no warning for what would happen next, he said. |
| “You hear screams first, then you see a stampede of people, running, diving in corners,” Mr. Carson said. “Running as if running for their lives. My first reaction was not to get up and run away, until I saw two T.S.A. agents dressed in blue amidst the crowd.” He said he heard one agent shout about a bomb, and the other about a person shot and an active gunman. | “You hear screams first, then you see a stampede of people, running, diving in corners,” Mr. Carson said. “Running as if running for their lives. My first reaction was not to get up and run away, until I saw two T.S.A. agents dressed in blue amidst the crowd.” He said he heard one agent shout about a bomb, and the other about a person shot and an active gunman. |
| Mr. Carson said he and his wife fell in behind a maintenance worker in an orange vest carrying an identification card. “He swiped through a security door that led down to the tarmac,” Mr. Carson said. Passengers followed him outside. | Mr. Carson said he and his wife fell in behind a maintenance worker in an orange vest carrying an identification card. “He swiped through a security door that led down to the tarmac,” Mr. Carson said. Passengers followed him outside. |
| “For a second, you’re like, ‘O.K., we made it to relative safety,’” Mr. Carson said. But that feeling did not last. | “For a second, you’re like, ‘O.K., we made it to relative safety,’” Mr. Carson said. But that feeling did not last. |
| “More people came screaming out the door like they were being immediately pursued,” he said. “Like there was a gunman right behind them. There was that terror on their faces.” | “More people came screaming out the door like they were being immediately pursued,” he said. “Like there was a gunman right behind them. There was that terror on their faces.” |
| Mr. Carson said he had no doubt at the time that a gunman was in the airport. He and others fled. “We ran across the tarmac to Terminal 2, under an Alitalia jet parked at the gate,” he said. He ran to a locked door and, peering through the window, saw an officer on the other side. The officer would not open the door. | |
| “You’ve got to let us in,” Mr. Carson recalled shouting. “We’re not bad people. We’re American citizens!” A baggage handler saw them and opened the door, and Mr. Carson, his wife and strangers visiting from Europe entered and rushed through the terminal to the taxi line in front, jumping in an empty cab and telling the driver, “Just drive.” | “You’ve got to let us in,” Mr. Carson recalled shouting. “We’re not bad people. We’re American citizens!” A baggage handler saw them and opened the door, and Mr. Carson, his wife and strangers visiting from Europe entered and rushed through the terminal to the taxi line in front, jumping in an empty cab and telling the driver, “Just drive.” |
| “Cop cars are screaming in from all directions,” he said. They were apparently some of the approximately 200 New York City police officers who arrived at Kennedy that night. | “Cop cars are screaming in from all directions,” he said. They were apparently some of the approximately 200 New York City police officers who arrived at Kennedy that night. |
| Another passenger, Brandon Webb, 42, an author and former Navy SEAL, said he was waiting at baggage claim when he heard a uniformed officer shout: “Run for your lives! There’s an active shooter!” | Another passenger, Brandon Webb, 42, an author and former Navy SEAL, said he was waiting at baggage claim when he heard a uniformed officer shout: “Run for your lives! There’s an active shooter!” |
| Mr. Webb said amid the confusion — “Complete hysteria, people getting trampled” — he fell back on his military training, trying to calm people even as he and others were swept outside onto the tarmac. He eventually led people to a barbed-wire fence near a taxi line, throwing his jacket over the razor wire and climbing over. | Mr. Webb said amid the confusion — “Complete hysteria, people getting trampled” — he fell back on his military training, trying to calm people even as he and others were swept outside onto the tarmac. He eventually led people to a barbed-wire fence near a taxi line, throwing his jacket over the razor wire and climbing over. |
| He said a man approached and said, “I thought you were a terrorist.” | He said a man approached and said, “I thought you were a terrorist.” |
| Mr. Webb said, “I’ve been to Iraq and Afghanistan, and I’ve never been in this situation where you’re in a massive crowd and there’s nothing you can do.” | Mr. Webb said, “I’ve been to Iraq and Afghanistan, and I’ve never been in this situation where you’re in a massive crowd and there’s nothing you can do.” |
| Neither Mr. Webb nor Mr. Carson said he saw what the police later described as the successful aspects of the law enforcement response. On Sunday night, Bobby Egbert, the spokesman for the union representing Port Authority police officers, called that agency’s response “textbook.” | Neither Mr. Webb nor Mr. Carson said he saw what the police later described as the successful aspects of the law enforcement response. On Sunday night, Bobby Egbert, the spokesman for the union representing Port Authority police officers, called that agency’s response “textbook.” |
| “They immediately entered the terminal and relayed actionable information that there was no confirmation of a shooter, or victims or physical evidence of such,” Mr. Egbert said. | “They immediately entered the terminal and relayed actionable information that there was no confirmation of a shooter, or victims or physical evidence of such,” Mr. Egbert said. |
| There were communication problems. In Terminal 8, where the initial reports placed the gunman, the Port Authority police have only two live camera feeds of their own, Mr. Egbert said. Neither camera can be adjusted or swiveled remotely. And while American Airlines has an extensive surveillance video network in terminal, none of the officers were able to gain access to those video feeds from the police command center that night, he said. | |
| Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for American Airlines, said that while Port Authority officers may not have had access to the airline’s camera feeds from the police command center, the video feeds were available for the police to watch in the American Airlines security office, also in Terminal 8. | |
| Mr. Carson and his wife went home that night, returning to Kennedy the next day to fly to Denmark as originally planned. The journey was uneventful, the headaches more mundane. | Mr. Carson and his wife went home that night, returning to Kennedy the next day to fly to Denmark as originally planned. The journey was uneventful, the headaches more mundane. |
| “We still don’t have our luggage,” he said on Thursday. | “We still don’t have our luggage,” he said on Thursday. |