Crime
Billy Joe Cagle faces charges after threatening to shoot up Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
ATLANTA, GA — Authorities have identified the suspect in a foiled shooting plot at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as 49-year-old Billy Joe Cagle, a convicted felon from Cartersville, Georgia.
Officials say a potential mass shooting was prevented through the swift actions of law enforcement and the quick response of Cagle’s family.
According to investigators, Cagle live-streamed threats early Friday morning, stating his intent to “shoot up” the Atlanta airport—the busiest in the world.
His family, alarmed by the video, immediately contacted Cartersville police, who then notified the Atlanta Police Department (APD).
Within minutes, officers located and arrested Cagle inside the South Terminal, before any harm could occur.
~9:30 a.m. ET: Cagle arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport unarmed, reportedly to “scope out” the area after making violent threats on social media.
~9:40 a.m. ET: Cagle’s family saw his livestream and, fearing he was serious, contacted local authorities.
~9:42 a.m. ET: Atlanta police officers, acting on the tip from Cartersville PD, located and detained Cagle without incident inside the airport terminal.
A search of Cagle’s Chevrolet pickup truck, parked outside the airport, uncovered a Springfield AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition. Police say Cagle, a convicted felon, was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum stated that Cagle had intended to return to his truck, retrieve the rifle, and re-enter the terminal to open fire.
“He came in to scope it out. He was going to go back out to his truck and get the gun and come back in and do what he said he was going to do,” Chief Schierbaum said.
Mayor Andre Dickens praised the rapid coordination between agencies and the family’s intervention, saying,
“This could have been tragic but was averted. A crisis was averted today — 27 or more lives could have been lost.”
Cagle has been charged with:
- Terroristic threats
- Criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony
Officials say Cagle may have been suffering from a mental health episode at the time of the incident.
Authorities emphasized that the quick thinking of Cagle’s family and the rapid communication between Cartersville Police and the APD were instrumental in preventing what could have been a devastating mass casualty event.
“This was a close call,” Mayor Dickens said. “Thanks to the decisive actions of law enforcement — and a family who did the right thing — countless lives were saved.”
The investigation remains ongoing, with federal authorities assisting to determine whether additional charges will be filed.
Crime
Attorneys Argue Jacob Bard Actions in Deadly Kentucky State University Shooting Were Legally Justified
Attorneys representing Jacob Bard, the man accused in a deadly shooting at Kentucky State University, contend that his actions were legally justified and undertaken in defense of his family amid what they describe as a violent and uncontrolled situation on campus.
In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Bard’s legal team from the Indiana-based law firm Danks & Danks asserted that Bard “was completely justified under the law in his use of deadly force.”
Bard is accused of fatally shooting one Kentucky State University student and wounding another during an incident at a campus dormitory.
According to the attorneys’ statement, Bard traveled to Kentucky State University after his younger son reported being attacked on multiple occasions.
The release alleges that on Monday, December 8, a group of approximately 20 to 30 individuals gathered outside the son’s dormitory, some allegedly armed, and began beating on the door. Campus police were reportedly called to respond to the disturbance.
The following morning, Bard and his wife met with Kentucky State University police. While the attorneys stated that officers appeared sincere in their efforts, they claimed it was evident to the family that campus police were “ill-prepared to deal with the out-of-control and violent environment.”
The legal team further alleges that both the university and its police department failed to adequately address what they described as multiple armed and violent felonies against Bard’s sons, ages 18 and 19, as well as other students in the days preceding the shooting.
Those alleged incidents included burglaries and armed assaults.
Later that morning, the family attended a meeting at Young Hall with campus police and a university dean.
According to the release, the meeting left the family convinced that the university would not be able to maintain a safe environment, prompting them to begin removing the son’s belongings from the dormitory.
When the family returned to the residence hall, the attorneys claim that individuals previously involved in the alleged assaults were present, despite assurances they would not be allowed inside.
The statement further alleges that those individuals photographed the family and made verbal threats.
The attorneys contend that, even with two armed Kentucky State University police officers present, a group of 20 to 30 individuals gathered in the dormitory lobby and “violently and viciously attacked” Bard’s son and family members.
According to the release, Bard’s son was slammed into the concrete floor and beaten by multiple people, and the officer on scene allegedly lost control of the situation.
“In the chaos,” the attorneys wrote, Bard attempted to pull attackers off his son but was struck himself. Believing his son to be in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury, Bard then drew his firearm and shot two individuals whom the attorneys say were actively assaulting his son.
The legal team also stated that no charges have been filed against others allegedly involved in the confrontation and claimed the Bard family has continued to receive death threats.
The release further alleges that the mother of the deceased student has publicly called for retaliation against Bard’s son and sought assistance from criminal groups—claims that have not been independently verified by authorities.
The case against Bard was presented to a grand jury on December 16.
During a previous court hearing, a detective testified that at least one video reviewed by investigators did not show the shooting victims assaulting Bard’s son.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have not issued a final determination regarding the circumstances surrounding the shooting.