2 shot at Phoenix airport in apparent family dispute on Christmas night, officials say

By LJ Spaet and Hanna Park, CNN

(CNN) — Two people including a teenager were shot and another was cut with a knife at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport during a family dispute on Christmas night, police said.

The incident happened at a Terminal 4 restaurant outside the security perimeter, where responding officers found two people with gunshot wounds about 9:45 p.m. Wednesday. Phoenix police initially said three people were shot.

One adult brandished a gun and fired shots, striking a woman and a teenage boy involved in the altercation, Sgt. Phil Krynsky told CNN in a statement. The teen, armed with a knife, then cut the man who fired the gun, police said. Another man sustained minor injuries in the brawl.

“I believe this was a family dispute that escalated,” Sgt. Mayra Reeson told reporters early Thursday. Police said all involved know each other.

Officers later detained a girl and a man in the garage. The man had at least one stab wound, police said.

The four injured people were taken to a hospital. The woman who was shot has been stabilized but remains in critical condition, while the three others were treated and released and were interviewed by detectives, Krynsky said.

Charges have not yet been filed, according to Reeson.

“We do not believe that there’s any suspects out there,” she said.

It’s not clear whether the group planned to travel or was at the airport for another reason.

“This is scary,” Reeson said. “It was Christmas evening. Everybody is trying to get home.”

The gunfire forced the temporary closure of Terminal 4’s security checkpoint, an airport spokesperson told CNN in an email.

“The incident has been resolved and operations are returning to normal,” the airport spokesperson said early Thursday.

Adding to the chaos, a man who heard misinformation about a possible active shooter at the airport arrived with a gun while police were investigating the earlier dispute. The man was detained after an altercation with police in the separate incident, according to Reeson.

No flights were affected.

“Everything was resumed fairly quickly,” Reeson added.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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