A family dispute turned violent at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on Christmas night, leaving three people with gunshot wounds and another stabbed, according to police. The incident happened at Terminal 4 in a restaurant outside the security checkpoint.
Phoenix police said they received reports around 9:45 p.m. and found three people who had been shot. A juvenile girl and a man were later detained in the airport’s parking garage, with the man suffering from a stab wound.
“This appears to be a family argument that spiraled out of control,” said Phoenix police Sgt. Mayra Reeson. She added that all five individuals involved seemed to know each other.
The four injured were taken to the hospital. Among them, a woman who was shot remains in critical condition, while two men with gunshot wounds and the stabbing victim are in stable condition.
Police have recovered weapons and are working to piece together exactly what happened, but charges had not been filed as of early Thursday. Reeson confirmed there were no additional suspects, easing concerns about public safety.
The chaos caused Terminal 4’s security checkpoint to close temporarily, though airport officials assured travelers that operations were returning to normal soon after. Restaurants in the terminal’s food court remained closed during the incident.
Adding to the confusion, a man arrived at the airport after hearing false rumors about an active shooter. Armed, he confronted officers and was detained after an altercation. Reeson emphasized there were “no active threats at the airport” and that the earlier dispute was an isolated event. Flights were not impacted, and airport operations resumed quickly.
“This was a scary situation,” Reeson said. “It’s Christmas night, and people just want to get home.”
Police are still investigating what led to the violent confrontation and whether the group had planned to travel or was at the airport for other reasons.
