The rifle was sitting in his truck the entire time he walked around inside the busiest airport in the world. Billy Joe Cagle, a convicted felon from Cartersville, Georgia, had driven to Atlanta that Friday morning with a deadly plan in mind.
Earlier that day, he had livestreamed a direct threat to “shoot up” Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport a statement that sent shockwaves through his family and the small community where he lived.
His relatives, recognizing the seriousness of his words and fearing the worst, immediately contacted local police just before 9:40 a.m. Their decision would prove life-saving.
Cartersville officers acted swiftly, notifying Atlanta police of the threat. Within minutes, Atlanta officers located Cagle inside the South Terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson, one of the busiest travel hubs in the world.
At approximately 9:42 a.m., they arrested him without incident. To their relief, he was unarmed at the time.
Yet, the situation took a chilling turn when investigators searched his Chevrolet pickup truck parked nearby.
Inside, they discovered a loaded Springfield AR-15 rifle and twenty-seven rounds of ammunition evidence of the deadly intent Cagle had announced just hours earlier.
Because Cagle is a convicted felon, it is illegal for him to own or possess any firearm. The presence of the rifle made clear that his threats were not empty talk.
According to Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, Cagle had reportedly entered the terminal first to scout the area to observe security, crowds, and potential target before returning to retrieve his weapon.
later confirmed that investigators believed Cagle fully intended to carry out his plan.
The only reason he didn’t was the quick intervention of his family and the rapid response of law enforcement.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praised the coordinated police response and credited Cagle’s relatives with preventing what could have been a horrific tragedy. “Their call saved countless lives,” Dickens said during a press briefing later that day.
“This could have been another national headline—a mass shooting in one of the world’s busiest airports—but instead, it became a story of prevention, awareness, and decisive action.”
Authorities have since charged Cagle with multiple felonies, including making terroristic threats and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He remains in custody as the investigation continues.
Officials also indicated that Cagle may have been experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the incident.
Police have requested a psychological evaluation to determine his competency and mental state leading up to the threats.
The incident has reignited discussions about the intersection of mental health, gun access, and public safety.
Despite being a convicted felon legally barred from owning firearms, Cagle was still able to obtain an AR-15 rifle raising questions about how he acquired it and whether stronger enforcement or background check measures might have prevented it.
For the officers who responded and the thousands of travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson that morning, the swift chain of communication and action prevented what could have been an unimaginable disaster.
