A Christmas night family gathering at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport turned into a scene of violence when a dispute escalated into a shooting and stabbing incident. According to Phoenix police, the event unfolded around 9:45 p.m. at a restaurant in Terminal 4, outside the security checkpoint.
Three individuals were shot, and one person was stabbed during the altercation. The victims, identified as one woman in critical condition with life-threatening injuries and two men in stable condition, were rushed to a local hospital. The individual who was stabbed was also hospitalized but listed in stable condition.
The police spokesperson, Sgt. Mayra Reeson, stated that the incident appeared to stem from a family dispute that escalated rapidly. “I believe this was a family dispute that escalated,” Reeson said during a news conference. The authorities detained a juvenile female and a man in the airport’s parking garage in connection with the incident, though no further details on their involvement or charges have been released.
Adding to the night’s chaos, in a completely unrelated event, another man arrived at the airport armed with firearms, mistakenly believing there was an active shooter due to a false text message. He was detained after an altercation with a police officer and faces several charges, though this incident was not connected to the family dispute.
Operations at the airport were temporarily disrupted but quickly returned to normal. Phoenix police have confirmed that no further suspects are being sought in connection with the shooting and stabbing, indicating that all involved parties were known to each other.
The incident has led to discussions on holiday gatherings in public places, airport security, and the rapid escalation of family disputes into violent confrontations.
