Officials in Broward County have released an in-depth overview of the January 2017 active shooter situation at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, citing outdated radios as a major hurdle in the handling of the incident
The "After-Action Report" serves to examine where and how emergency response units were utilized throughout the incident, along with how first responders will further prepare for possible future breeches of conduct.
A Broward Sheriff’s Office internal report already found big problems with communication. It cites outdated radios that made it difficult for officers to communicate.
The report also faulted BSO for how it handled the immediate aftermath, noting confusion among armed SWAT members that potentially caused even more trauma for passengers.
The report also noted some of the 2,000 responding officers from around South Florida left cruisers parked all over the place leaving an impassable parking lot behind.
Tuesday, members of the sheriff’s office, airport and county were be briefed by independent consultants on what worked and what didn’t during the response to the the Jan. 6 shooting, when suspect Esteban Santiago opened fire in the airport's Terminal 2’s baggage claim. After firing off 14 rounds, five people were killed and six injured.
FULL VIDEO: Tuesday's press conference at the Broward County Government Center in Fort Lauderdale.
At Tuesday's press conference, Broward County leaders addressed the media on the 82-page After-Action Report prepared by consultant Ross & Baruzzini for Broward County’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
The lengthy report focuses on what happened after the shooting when reports of additional shots fired surfaced and chaos erupted at the airport.
"We need to understand where we performed well in responding to the unprecedented event, accept that we didn't perform well in all areas and to use this as a learning opportunity," said Aviation Director, Mark Gale.
The report reveals weaknesses in evacuation plans, lack of a unified command center- making it unclear who's in charge. Strengths were found in first responders contacting law enforcement and getting medical help quickly to the crime scene.
As for what's next, Gale says they're actively working on various improvements based on the recommendations listed in the report.