A 26-year-old man was arrested at Orlando International Airport on Tuesday night after a standoff with police in the rental car area. According to reports, Michael Wayne Pettigrew was carrying a “simulated gun” under his black jacket, and he asked a female Mears driver to call 911 “to bring the police,” and because he also wanted to speak to the president. Ultimately, Orlando police officers fired no shots and no one was injured as Pettigrew was taken into custody.
One officer told the Orlando Sentinel that despite Pettigrew assuming a “shooting stance” and pointing what appeared to be a real gun at officers, no shots were fired because the scene was “a little chaotic,” as passengers were running for safety. Pettigrew reportedly shouted at the officers to shoot him, as police called the incident a “suicide by cop” scenario.
Orlando police chief John Mina praised the “phenomenal” work of the police negotiator in gaining rapport with Pettigrew and talking him down. While “hundreds of officers” rushed to the scene, officers were in “no rush” to arrest Pettigrew because of his state of “mental distress.”
Roads were congested throughout the areas surrounding the airport, and some flights were delayed during the three-hour ordeal.
