A man was shot multiple times on Friday after he sprayed wasp killer in the face of two federal officers and then attacking the guards with machete in the security checkpoint of New Orleans international airport.
The man was identified Richard White, 62. According to Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand, White walked up to the checkpoint and there he pulled the can of insecticide out and then he sprayed it on both officers and passengers who were in line. Then he pulled the machete from the waistband of his pants and began veering it around him. An officers was able to block the machete with a piece of luggage.
White was chasing a female officer after running through the detector. Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Lt. Heather Slyve drew her weapon at once, New York Post reported.
As Slyve approached, White continued swinging the machete. In turn, Slyve fired three rounds, hitting him in the face, chest, and leg. An officer was accidentally struck in the arm by a bullet as well.
According to USA Today, Normand said that the officer was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. On the other hand, White is still alive and undergoing a surgery.
Some of the spectators in the incident received minor cuts and bruises too.
Civilian Brett Leonard said that there were at least a dozen of police cars parked outside the terminal with their lights flashing. A police officer then told him what had just happened in the airport.
Leonard said he was put into a cab along with several strangers as the police tried to vacate the area and that it was very confusing since there were no alarms or announcement, except for word of mouth.
The investigators are now trying to determine White's motives and what he was doing at the airport. Normand said that he did not seem to get on a plane.
Later on, the authorities found White's car outside the terminal and searched it.