Local Residents Were in Ft. Lauderdale Airport at Time of Friday Shootings

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Published on January 9 2017 4:06 pm
Last Updated on January 10 2017 7:55 am
Written by Greg Sapp

There were Effingham residents in the Ft. Lauderdale, Florida airport at the time of shootings that killed five and injured six others Friday. None of them were injured.

Jeremy and Danielle Suey live in Effingham and co-pastor Christ Tabernacle Church in Herrick. They were returning from a cruise and were in an airport terminal when the gunman opened fire at another terminal. Since no one knew whether there were other shooters, airport officials did what they could to get waiting passengers out of the terminals. 

Jeremy Suey had walked away from his wife to see the flight monitors and in the pandemonium was directed by a TSA agent to get out of the building. He complied but when he tried to phone Danielle, his phone died. He eventually used other people's phones to notify his wife and to check on her welfare. 

While Jeremy ended up outside, Danielle was huddled in the terminal surrounded by their luggage. Rumors of other shooters and of a bomb made a bad situation worse, but after nine hours, the situation calmed and the couple was reunited.

Our Greg Sapp had the opportunity to talk with Jeremy and Danielle Suey today about their experience. They are back home in Effingham...

Effingham's John Lechman was also at the airport in Ft. Lauderdale at the time of the shootings, but he also escaped unharmed.