On Monday morning, October 20, 2025, Atlanta police arrested 49-year-old Billy Joe Cagle from Cartersville, Georgia, inside Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport following a disturbing social media threat.
Family members alerted authorities after Cagle posted intentions to “shoot up the terminal,” prompting a swift response.
Man Arrested After Threatening To ‘Shoot Up’ Hartsfield Airport
Officers discovered a loaded AR-15 rifle with 27 rounds in Cagle’s nearby truck, confirming his intent to retrieve it for the attack.
The incident coincided with the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, adding urgency to the situation.
As a convicted felon, Cagle is prohibited from possessing firearms, leading to felony charges including terroristic threats and illegal firearm possession.
Timeline of Events
Here’s a timeline of how the ordeal occurred, according to police:
- ~9:30 a.m. ET: Cagle entered the airport unarmed after live streaming threats on social media, apparently to “scope out” the location.
- ~9:40 a.m. ET: Cagle’s family, concerned after seeing his livestream, called Cartersville police, who immediately notified the Atlanta Police Department (APD) of the threat.
- ~9:42 a.m. ET: APD officers located and arrested Cagle inside the airport without incident.
- Post-arrest search: A search of his parked pickup truck outside revealed an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle.
- Background details:
- Cagle has a prior criminal history, making his possession of the firearm illegal.
- Officials, including Mayor Dickens, believe he may have been experiencing a mental health episode.
- Intended plan (per APD Chief Darin Schierbaum): Cagle planned to return to his truck, get the rifle, and carry out the attack in the crowded terminal area.
- Key to quick response: Made possible by the family’s calls to the police.
- Charges facing Cagle:
- ✅ Terroristic threats
- ✅ Criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault
- ✅ Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- APD Chief Darin Schierbaum: “He came in to scope it out… He was going to go back out to his truck and get the g*n and come back in and do what he said he was going to do.”
- Mayor Andre Dickens: “This could have been tragic but was averted… A crisis was averted today.”
The rapid intervention by law enforcement is credited with preventing potential mass casualties at one of the nation’s busiest airports. The investigation remains ongoing.