Man dies in airport shooting

Police officers confronted a man at a Cleveland airport ticket counter today and shots were fired as they struggled, critically wounding a patrolman and killing the man, authorities said.

The man grabbed one officer’s gun and shot another officer – patrolman Steve Walker – twice in the chest, city Safety Director Martin Flask said.

The unidentified Cleveland man, who was shot by a third officer who intervened, died at a hospital, Flask said.

Walker, taken to a different hospital, was in critical condition, MetroHealth Medical Centre spokeswoman Susan Christopher said.

The man caused some kind of disturbance in a parking garage before trying unsuccessfully to buy a ticket at the Delta Air Lines counter. After a verbal confrontation with the Delta ticket worker, the suspect went to the adjacent United Airlines ticket counter and purchased a ticket for a flight to Chicago, Flask said.

“It appears the suspect who was shot by police does have an extensive criminal history including three stints in prison for burglary and drugs,” Flask said.

Fred Szabo, director of city-owned Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, said the airport remained open and no flights were delayed after the shooting. The shooting at the United Airlines counter was in an area before security check points.

No United employees were wounded, and some workers were interviewed by police, spokesman Robin Urbanski said. She said she had no other information.