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Pittsburgh International boosts security in aftermath of Ft. Lauderdale shooting

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh International Airport is increasing security in the aftermath of the shooting in Fort Lauderdale.

Five people were killed and eight others injured when a gunman opened fire Friday in a baggage-claim area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

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PHOTOS: Fort Lauderdale airport shooting

Channel 11’s Catherine Varnum spoke with passengers on one of the last flights to leave Fort Lauderdale as the shooting unfolded.

The flight landed in Pittsburgh around 3:30 p.m.; many passengers didn’t know about the scene they had just left and were thankful to be in Pittsburgh safely.

The first reports of shots fired came in at 12:55 p.m. and the flight to Pittsburgh took off around 1 p.m.

“As we pulled back from the gate we knew something was going on,” passenger Lauren Schueler said. "We looked out the window, could see everyone going out on to the tarmac (and an) ambulance (and) helicopter.”

Other passengers didn’t know what was going on until they landed back at home until they turned on their phones and the worried messages from loved ones started pouring in.

“It is bad. It’s frightening. Everyone is concentrating on getting baggage and someone comes out and starts shooting,” a passenger said.

Another passenger on the Fort Lauderdale to Pittsburgh flight said the airline crew did not talk about the shooting on the plane ride.

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Duquesne University’s department of athletics said members of the women’s swim team, who were traveling through the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport on Friday, are all OK.

An airport spokesperson said arriving passengers will see an increased police presence in the terminal, as well as changes already in place such as officers carrying long guns on the landside terminal.

A flight that was supposed to leave from Latrobe to Fort Lauderdale around 7:20 p.m. was canceled.