In early January, southern Florida and Ft. Lauderdale is a hot spot for swim teams (mostly college, but sometimes other) who are travelling in search of warmer climates or freedom from the distractions of home.
On Friday afternoon, with many teams scheduled to be flying through the airport, a gunman opened fire in the airport, with reports that 5 are dead and 13 are injured. A suspect is in custody.
Since the first call about the shooting came in at 12:55 Eastern Time, we have been tracking teams that may have been in the airport at the time of the shooting or were scheduled to travel through the airport today. While identities of the victims have not been released, we’ve received no reports of any swimmers being among the dead or injured.
Teams that have checked in (we’ll continue to update as more teams report in, newest additions at the top):
Lafayette College was en route to Fort Lauderdale at the time of the shooting, but was diverted to PBI (Palm Beach International) and are safe:
https://twitter.com/embenson3/status/817481920623869954
Wellesley College was in the next terminal at the time of the shooting. All are reporting to be ok.
https://twitter.com/catocity/status/817457019452063744
Minnesota State – Mankato checked in as ok:
https://twitter.com/k_rohyourboat21/status/817453735823609856
The Ohio State men’s team was on their way to the airport, but is ok:
https://twitter.com/CoachMikeHulme/status/817452450374385666
Wisconsin – Green Bay is safe:
We are safe in Ft. Lauderdale. Prayers go out to the victims of the Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood Int'l Airport shooting and their families.
— Green Bay Swimming & Diving (@GBPhoenixSwim) January 6, 2017
The Elizabethtown College (Pennsylvania) women’s team was in the airport at the time of the shooting, but is safe:
https://twitter.com/JenniferReadyTV/status/817464652191924225
The University of Nebraska – Omaha was in the airport at the time, but is safe:
.@UNOmaha swim and dive team was in Ft. Lauderdale when shooting occurred; all are safe. pic.twitter.com/boGsoFm6rD
— Alia Conley (@aliaconleyOWH) January 6, 2017
The Navy women’s team traveled home from Ft. Lauderdale today, and are safe:
Just landed at BWI … great training trip… hearts go out to FLL.
— Navy Women's Swimming & Diving (@NavyWomenSwim) January 6, 2017
The Duquesne women’s team landed shortly after the shooting, and are safe.
https://twitter.com/law13178955/status/817473171720957952
The Case Western Swim Team was on its way to Ft. Lauderdale at the time of the shooting, coming from different locations. Some team members arrived in Ft. Lauderdale and are safe, while others were diverted to Miami and Orlando airports:
The Case Western swim team travelled to Florida today. We're told some have arrived safely in FLL, while others were diverted to MIA and ORL
— SwimSwam (@swimswamnews) January 6, 2017
Good and nice to send prayers. It’s always tragic and I have a tought for the victims and their families but it’s not enough.
As long as there are so many guns in USA and as long as it’s so easy to buy a gun in USA, things like that will repeat again and again.
And at the same time Kinder Surprise Eggs are banned from USA…. There’s a problem, no?
And you seem less shocked by violence of guns on TV than by a nude body on TV.
I don’t understand the tolerance and the apathy of most of Americans about that topic of guns.
Cheer up Bobo . Whilst that was unfortunate but not surprising on the other side of the world , Aleppo’s Gassan Al – Assad Airport has been re- opened & not one person had been shot .
In the 80s there was a string of Disaster movies with strangely uplifting ballads sung by ( often) Melissa Manchester . I’d like to suggest this one for Aleppo & Fort Lauderdale ‘There’s got to be a morning after ‘ . I never understood why but life goes on .The ppl of Aleppo are cleani g up & planes will continue to fly out of FL .
But the real philosophie is the Russian proverb – ‘ The sun will always rise in the morning ‘but seeing the hysteria in the US I thought I’d reference an American example . I can just imagine someone belting it out at the departure gate .
Thanks for doing this, worried about the swimming community