A man was arrested Monday morning at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport after allegedly threatening to shoot up one of its terminals. The Atlanta airport is among the world’s busiest travel hubs. Atlanta police identified 49-year-old Billy Joe Cagle, who Mayor Andre Dickens said had “mental challenges,” as the suspect. According to Fox News, Cagle “faces charges including terroristic threats, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.” Cagle reportedly had 27 rounds of ammunition and a Springfield AR-15 rifle in his truck at the airport. “Twenty-seven or more lives could have been lost today because an individual came into Hartsfield-Jackson, and after being reported coming out of Cartersville, Georgia, that had mental challenges. This individual, thankfully, his family went to the Cartersville police and shared with them what was going on, and they alerted APD, and the APD and airport were aware, and this crisis was averted,” Dickens said, according to Fox News. 'TRAGEDY AVERTED': A man with a loaded AR-15 rifle in his truck was arrested inside Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday after allegedly threatening to "shoot it up" on social media. pic.twitter.com/WyrOAsgsTR — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 20, 2025 11 Alive shared more: The man, 49-year-old Billy Cagle of Cartersville, showed up to the airport just after 9 a.m. after Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said he livestreamed on social media that he had plans to go to the Atlanta airport to “shoot it up.” Cagle’s family said they heard about the threats and immediately notified Cartersville Police, who said has had past run-ins with Cagle, a previously convicted felon. Cartersville Police immediately told Atlanta Police, who notified airport security and they immediately began searching for Cagle. His family told police he was driving a Chevrolet flatbed pickup truck, which authorities found parked right outside the airport at the S1 doors at the South Terminal. Chief Schierbaum said that Cagle entered the airport at 9:31 a.m. after arriving at 9:29 a.m. and was appearing to scope out the South Terminal, housed solely for Delta Air Lines passengers. Cartersville Police told Atlanta Police of the threat at 9:40 a.m. Cagle was arrested inside the Atlanta airport South Terminal at 9:54 a.m.., Schierbaum said. Atlanta police arrest a Cartersville man at Atlanta Airport after family alerted authorities he was headed there to carry out a shooting pic.twitter.com/JD7zirickA — ATL Uncensored (@ATLUncensored) October 20, 2025 Fox News provided further info: Video showed officers using two sets of handcuffs to restrain the 6-foot-3, 320-pound man, who screamed as they cuffed him. During a safety sweep of the airport’s outer perimeter, officers found Cagle’s pickup. Inside, they allegedly discovered an AR-15 loaded with 27 rounds in the back seat. The weapon was cleared, and the scene declared safe. When asked whether Cagle was cooperating or what he told investigators, Schierbaum said the case remains open and declined to share details. The chief said investigators will also seek to determine Cagle’s motive in the apparent averted mass shooting. Schierbaum said Cagle has a criminal history, including a “pretty significant” prior drug-possession arrest in Cartersville. Dickens added, “This individual did have a semiautomatic weapon and this individual was mentally challenged. When you have these combinations together, it can turn out to be deadly. Watch additional coverage below: