Australian accused of shooting windows inside airport

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian man was charged Monday with three weapons-related offenses after he allegedly used a handgun inside Canberra airport to fire multiple shots at airport windows.

No one was injured during the shooting near the check-in counters on Sunday afternoon. The incident prompted officials to temporarily evacuate the airport and planes on the ground for more than three hours.

Ali Rachid Ammoun appeared via video link at the Australian Capital Territory Magistrates’ Court on Monday. The 63-year-old man from the state of New South Wales did not apply for bail and will remain jailed until his next hearing on September 5. Ammoun has not yet pleaded guilty.

Police say Ammoun arrived at the capital’s airport around 1:20 p.m. and sat down on some seats near the check-in counters. After about five minutes, police said, he fired a pistol several times at the windows before being arrested by federal police stationed at the airport.

“To the best of my knowledge and from what I can see from the crime scene, the male fired at the glass inside the terminal and there were no shots fired at individuals or individuals, passengers or staff,” Acting Detective Superintendent Dave told reporters. Craft. .

Canberra Airport Chief Executive Stephen Byron said the shooter was in a public area of ​​the airport.

“That’s different from the secure area of ​​the terminal, which is where passengers are screened and checked for malicious elements before boarding the plane,” Byron told reporters.

After clearing the airport and verifying that Ammoun was acting alone, authorities resumed airport operations and flights shortly after 5 p.m.

Ammoun has been charged with discharging a firearm into a building, unlawful possession of a firearm, and discharging a firearm near a person causing an alarm.

Lily Thomson, reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. who was at the airport at the time, told the station that she heard loud banging and then saw people running towards her.

“I just assumed people were running for their flight,” he said.

He realized something was wrong when people started yelling “Run!” The incident left her shaken, she said.

“The feeling of not knowing is quite scary,” he told the station. “As soon as we got out, people were on the phone with their loved ones, hugging, that kind of thing.”

During his court appearance, Ammoun’s lawyer asked the judge to bar the Australian Broadcasting Corp. from reporting on the case. Prosecutors objected to the request, and the judge rejected it, saying that it was an open court and that the broadcaster had the right to report on the case.

Ammoun is scheduled to undergo a mental health evaluation.

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