Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Lawyers: Airport Shooting Suspect Still Mentally Fit

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Lawyers for an Alaska man charged with killing five people and wounding six at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport mass shooting say he remains mentally fit to proceed in the case.

A status hearing is set Thursday in Miami federal court for 27-year-old Esteban Santiago of Anchorage, Alaska, who is being treated for schizophrenia. His lawyers say in a court filing Santiago's mental status is unchanged.

Santiago pleaded not guilty to a 22-count indictment in the Jan. 6 shooting at the Broward County airport. The Justice Department is considering whether to seek the death penalty in a trial still months away.

After the shooting, the FBI says Santiago told agents he acted under government mind control, then claimed inspiration by the Islamic State extremist group. No terrorism links have been found.