Police are investigating the death of a man who, for reasons yet to be determined, died after forcing his way past security at Honolulu International Airport.
The man, who was in his 40s, pushed his way into the security area intended only for passengers and ran toward an outdoor walkway where airplanes were parked, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser. Authorities said the man was apprehended shortly after, but he tried to fight police.
“Even after he was detained, there was still a struggle and the suspect remained combative and at that point is when he became unresponsive,” Tim Sakahara, a spokesman for Hawaii’s Transportation Department, told Hawaii News Now.
The man became unresponsive while in custody, according to a news release from the department. Emergency responders tried to revive him, but they were unsuccessful. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital, authorities said.
One officer suffered minor injuries during the scuffle, authorities said.
The incident occurred shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday.
Hawaii News Now reporter Mahealani Richardson, who happened to be at the airport, said she and others heard a commotion while they were waiting for their flight and saw a “crazed” man force himself through the terminal doors and onto the runway.
“It was very scary. He was making a lot of noise as he was trying to ram himself through the doors,” Richardson said in a video she took at the airport shortly after the incident. “We saw security go after him. … Passengers were very confused, including myself, so we ducked behind some seats to try to protect ourselves … because we had no idea what was going on. … I’m actually still shaking because of the whole thing.”
Authorities have not released the man’s name or said how he died. It remains unclear whether alcohol or drugs were involved, or how the man, who was not a ticketed passenger, managed to get past the security checkpoint.
Officials said the man was not armed, ABC affiliate KITV reported.
Honolulu police are investigating.
Airport officials said the incident did not affect flight schedules.
— Kristine Guerra
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