A person accused of going to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport after making a menace to shoot it up now faces a number of federal fees, the Division of Justice mentioned Tuesday.
Billy Joe Cagle, 49, was taken into custody in a terminal on the airport on Monday after a member of the family reported the alleged menace to police, authorities mentioned. An AR-15-style firearm was positioned in his pickup truck, which was parked in a crosswalk in entrance of the terminal, in keeping with the DOJ.
A person who allegedly threatened to shoot up the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport was arrested after coming into a terminal on the airport on Monday, in keeping with authorities.
WLS
Cagle has now been charged by way of felony criticism with tried violence at a world airport, interstate communications containing threats to injure the particular person of one other and being a felon in possession of a firearm, the DOJ mentioned Tuesday.
Cagle allegedly threatened to “shoot up the airport” in a FaceTime name, prosecutors mentioned.
“On the decision whereas he was driving, Cagle allegedly acknowledged, ‘I am on the airport, and I am gonna go rat-a-tat-tat,’ after which he abruptly ended the decision,” the DOJ mentioned in a press launch.
The particular person on the decision drove to the Cartersville Police Division to report the alleged menace, and officers alerted the Atlanta Police Division whereas offering pictures of Cagle and an outline of his car, the DOJ mentioned.
After arriving on the airport at 9:29 a.m. on Monday, officers encountered him within the terminal at 9:54 a.m. and he was taken into custody unarmed, Atlanta police mentioned.
Police physique digital camera footage of an arrest on the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport is proven throughout a press briefing, Oct. 20, 2025.
Atlanta Police Division
Police physique digital camera footage of an arrest on the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport is proven throughout a press briefing, Oct. 20, 2025.
Atlanta Police Division
“As alleged on this criticism, Cagle senselessly threatened to do heinous violence to harmless vacationers, on the world’s busiest airport, with a high-powered weapon that he had no authorized proper to own,” U.S. Legal professional Theodore Hertzberg mentioned in a press release. “Due to the vigilance of different residents and the short motion of regulation enforcement, a horrible tragedy was averted.”
Cagle moreover faces state fees, together with terroristic threats and firearm counts, Atlanta police mentioned.
He stays in custody and is scheduled to make his first look on the state fees on Wednesday in Clayton County. On-line court docket data didn’t listing any legal professional data for him.
Atlanta police mentioned federal authorities are investigating how Cagle obtained a firearm. Along with the gun, 27 rounds of ammunition have been present in his car, police mentioned.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum mentioned he believes Cagle was “scouting” the TSA screening space and was strolling again to his truck with the intent to retrieve the weapon when officers, who had been canvassing the realm for the suspect encountered him within the terminal.
“The tragedies that we have seen play out throughout our nation did not occur right here yesterday,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum mentioned throughout a press briefing on Tuesday.
Schierbaum mentioned the incident serves for instance of the system working, the place “we ask Individuals, should you see one thing, say one thing, and we ask your cops to face in peril for every of us day-after-day.”
He added, “Yesterday is what performed out precisely as we want it to be.”
Cartersville Police Capt. Greg Sparacio instructed reporters on Monday that the division is “acquainted” with Cagle and he has a felony historical past, together with a previous drug possession arrest, although he didn’t go into additional element.
Officers mentioned Cagle additionally has a historical past of psychological well being challenges.
