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‘It’s a bomb threat’: Witnesses speak out as Kansas City International Airport evacuation unfolds, videos surface
Videos and photos shared online appear to show passengers exiting the terminal and gathering outside the building.
UPDATE: FBI Director Kash Patel issued an update on the incident.
In a post on X, he wrote, "FBI and our law enforcement partners quickly responded to the scene and secured the area. The threat was reviewed and determined not to be credible. Terminal has been swept, cleared, and normal operations resumed."
He added, "Thank you to our federal partners at @USDOT and @SecDuffy for the coordination and quick response. Threats like these are a federal crime. FBI and law enforcement partners will fully investigate and bring to justice anyone responsible."
ORIGINAL STORY: Kansas City International Airport was evacuated Sunday after authorities received reports of a potential threat.
The evacuation was ordered at around 12:15 p.m., with passengers and airport employees instructed to leave sections of the terminal.
“As a precaution, the department has evacuated sections of the Airport Terminal,” an Aviation Department spokesperson told KCTV. “Airport Police are working with the FBI to substantiate any potential threat.”
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Videos and photos shared online appear to show passengers being escorted off aircraft onto the tarmac, while others were seen exiting the terminal and gathering outside the building.
Some videos showed police and bomb-sniffing dogs searching the concourse and terminals.
Witness accounts
Several witnesses took to social media to report what was happening at the airport.
One person wrote on Facebook, "It’s a bomb threat. I just landed into KC about 30 mins ago and we are currently sitting on the plane away from the airport."
Another reported, "Yea, I’m out here now. Cops everywhere, folks walking, can’t drop off my passenger."
A third person added, "I work at a hotel by there & we just had a guest come in saying they wouldn’t let anyone come in to the airport. We were just trying to figure out why. This is crazyyyyy."
Another wrote, “Whew, I found out just after checking out of my hotel to head to the airport. Spoke to a colleague who is at the airport, smack dab in the middle of the chaos. Walked back into the hotel and got my room back. Waiting for a return call from travel to rebook a flight out tomorrow, assuming all goes well. Grateful to be on the good side of a bad situation. Another reason I hate air travel!”
Authorities have not confirmed that the incident involved a bomb threat. The claim originated from witness accounts circulating on social media and has not been independently verified by HT.com.
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Airport Police, working alongside the FBI, are continuing to investigate the situation and determine whether the threat is credible.
Officials have not yet released further details about the incident or when normal operations at the airport will resume.
