Billy Joe Cagle, Cartersville, Atlanta man and MAGA fanatic arrested scoping Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport where he had come to carry out mass shooting. Man’s truck outside terminal found with AR-15 rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition. Relatives called cops saying he Face-Timed them warning of carnage.
An Atlanta area man is alleged to have Face-timed relatives intending to go on a shooting spree and ‘hurt as many people as possible’ while en route to one of America’s busiest airports.
Billy Joe Cagle, a 49-year-old from Cartersville in the Atlanta metropolitan area, was arrested Monday at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, shortly after concerned family members notified authorities of his intention to commit a mass shooting at the Atlanta airport.
Would be shooter planned to inflict mass carnage at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
Cartersville police were notified of the man’s intent circa 9.40 a.m, Monday morning, leading to Atlanta police arriving at the airport where they come across Cagle’s pickup truck blocking traffic. Inside the vehicle, cops discovered an AR-15 rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition according to FOX5 Atlanta.
Cagle had initially entered the terminal unarmed, with Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum saying police believe Cagle had gone inside the terminal to ‘scope’ it out.
The police chief also said he believed Cagle was on his way back to the truck to pick up the rifle when officers arrested him and that he was ‘likely to use that weapon in the crowded terminal he had just seen.’
Cops found Cagle less than 15 minutes after the initial call was placed, leading to the man being taken into custody.
While officials had yet to say why he had sought to target the airport, initial reports indicate that the man was experiencing a mental health crisis. Cartersville police said Cagle has a criminal history, having previously been convicted of marijuana possession more than two decades ago.
Billy Cagle pro MAGA and Donald Trump voter
A regard of Billy Cagle’s Facebook shows the would be re-posting a 2015 pro-Trump for President, along with the adage, ‘I worked for everything I have. Most successful people have done the same. No you aren’t entitled to it.’
Authorities to date have not commented on the would be shooter’s political leanings and whether they believe they had inspired Monday’s potential mass shooting.
While speculation on social media to Cagle’s political leanings were rampant, and to what degree, if any, that may have motivated his actions, prior posts on his Facebook page alluded to foreboding mental health illness.
Posted Cagle in one instance; ‘Deska Brown, I pray nothing. I have to take medication for Schizophrenia, Sometimes I think I’m being set up or something going to kill me. Shoot me, set the house on fire, make it look like it blew up. Make it look like suicide.’
Posted Cagle in a September 6 post. ‘Going from dead to happiness is a very long and hard mental battle. I’ thankful for all the family and friends that have been here for me. Thank God for my second life. It’s finally time to put that behind me and forget about it. I’m ready to move forward in this life.’
Following his arrest, Cagle was charged with 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 felon.
The arrest came the same day as the Transportation Security Agency said wait times at the security checkpoints were longer due to staffing shortages, the first time this has happened since the federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1.
