Airport re-opens after Southwest Airlines employee gunned down
Sunday, 16 Nov, 2016
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Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City has resumed operations after several hours on lockdown following a suspected murder-suicide.
A Southwest Airlines employee was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon and the suspect was later found dead inside a vehicle in an airport parking garage.
Passengers were kept inside the terminal for several hours and about 25 flights were cancelled.
Southwest Airlines canceled all its remaining flights for the day, spokeswoman Brandy King said.
The airline employee was named as Michael Winchester, 52, who is the father of Kansas City Chiefs NFL player James Winchester.
The Chiefs later posted a tweet: "Our love and support is with James and the entire Winchester family. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you."
Police said it was likely a premeditated killing.
"This individual went there and waited for the employee to either be coming or going to take this opportunity," Oklahoma City Police Capt. Paco Balderrama.
"We lost a cherished Southwest employee today in an act of violence in Oklahoma City," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly tweeted.
The shooter, who died from what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, has not been officially named yet.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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