A 49-year-old man named Billy Cagle was arrested on suspicion of making terroristic threats, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to police officials quoted by NBC News early Tuesday, October 21 (GMT).
Atlanta authorities have since revealed that they stopped a near-fatal tragedy from breaking out one of the world’s busiest airports, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, on Monday (US time).
Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said that officers discovered an AR-15 assault rifle with 27 rounds of ammunition in Cagle’s truck, which was right outside the city’s airport. “There were 27 rounds that could have been fired from this weapon inside the airport,” he told the media.
Officials additionally set off the alarm about the suspected would-be gunman’s family alerting them about his plans to go to the airport and “shoot it up.”
Atlanta airport mass shooting averted – Here’s what happened
As per the preliminary information offered during a live Atlanta Police Department Press Conference broadcast streamed a few hours ago, officers disclosed that authorities assigned to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport responded to a “person armed” call at the Domestic South Terminal at 9:40 am local time on October 20.
The male suspect, now identified as Billy Jo Cagle (DOB: 10/76), was ultimately located inside the South Terminal near the checkpoint area, where he was immediately detained. At the time, he was unarmed.
WATCH NOW 🚨
— Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) October 20, 2025
Atlanta Police Department Press Conference: Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport Incident 10-20-2025.
Watch here:https://t.co/OAfDujU0It
Upon canvassing the outer perimeter, officers located Cagle’s vehicle – a Chevrolet. A rifle was found in its backseat. With the area having been secured promptly, airport operation were subsequently resumed without any looming active threats to the public.
Billy Jo Cagle – What do we know about the suspected Atlanta airport shooter?
According to Cartersville police, the 49-year-old man’s family tipped them off after catching one of his livestreams, wherein he said he was going to “shoot up” the airport.
On Sunday, he wrote on Facebook: “I told my kids if anything happens to me sue, they can get 50-100 million.”
“Twenty-seven or more lives could have been lost today because an individual came into Hartsfield-Jackson, and after being reported coming out of Cartersville, Georgia, that had mental challenges,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens lauded Cagle’s family for alerting the authorities. “This individual, thankfully, his family went to the Cartersville police and shared with them what was going on, and they alerted APD, and the APD and airport were aware, and this crisis was averted.”
Officers have yet to determine Billy’s motive. In the meantime, Police Chief Schierbaum confirmed Cagle’s criminal history, citing a “pretty significant” previous drug-possession arrest in Cartersville. Furthermore, Mayor Andre Dickens also revealed that the man possessing a semiautomatic weapon was “mentally challenged.”
More details on the case are awaited as the investigation remains open.
