Fla. airport shooting prompts tighter security at Eisenhower

Security has tightened at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport in the wake of a shooting Friday afternoon at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.

Roger Xanders, chief of airport police and fire, said his officers and Transportation Security Administration agents are being extra cautious.

“Currently here at Eisenhower we have a little bit of extra resources … than you would normally see,” Xanders said Friday afternoon.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Eastern on Friday a gunman opened fire in the baggage claim area at the Fort Lauderdale airport, killing at least five people and wounding at least eight before being taken into custody, officials said.

Xanders said the heightened security at Eisenhower was in response to the Fort Lauderdale shooting, and not because of a direct threat at Kansas’ largest commercial airport.

He declined to disclose exactly how security has been heightened at Eisenhower.

It’s “just a precaution to what’s going on,” he said. “… just being more vigilant.”

This story was originally published January 6, 2017 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Fla. airport shooting prompts tighter security at Eisenhower."