U.S. officials have identified the person who was fatally struck on a Denver airport runway on May 8 as Michael Mott, who is believed to have died by suicide.
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NBC News, citing the medical examiner for the city and county of Denver, reported that Mott was 41 years old. Chief Medical Examiner Sterling McLaren said at a press conference Tuesday morning that Mott’s cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force trauma.
Denver Airport Runway Collision: Here’s What Happened
On May 8, around 11:19 p.m., a Frontier Airlines plane was accelerating at Denver International Airport to take off for a scheduled flight to Los Angeles. According to security video released by airport officials, a figure was seen nearing the runway approaching the runway and beginning to cross it at a walking pace. Moments later, an Airbus A321 enters the frame from the left, whereupon the individual disappears from view and one of the plane’s engines catches fire.
Denver Airport CEO Phil Washington said the alarm went off at approximately 11:10 p.m. on May 8 and an operator on duty “investigated the alarm and identified a herd of deer just beyond the fence.” He added: “At first they didn’t see the intruder.”
“The camera view alternated between the wildlife and the individual. There are some ditches in the area, so the person was out of sight for a while,” said Denver Airport’s CEO. Shortly after, Washington noted that the airport had been notified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that a person had been fatally struck.
According to the report, it took Mott only 15 seconds to jump the eight-foot barbed wire fence, and the time between climbing the fence and being struck was roughly two minutes. The Denver Airport CEO added: “The incident site is approximately two miles away from the terminal – due to the short time we had, we were unable to intervene to prevent this person from reaching the runway.”
Although the incident has been confirmed as a suicide, no record has been found at the scene, officials noted, adding that none of Mott’s belongings, including the vehicle, have yet been located by police.
At least 12 people on board the plane suffered injuries during the evacuation incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it would not investigate the incident, saying it did not fall under the agency’s jurisdiction and would instead be handled by local law enforcement.
Denver airport safety top priority: CEO
According to the CEO, security remains a top priority at the Denver airport, which has 36 miles of fencing within 53 square miles of airport property.
“Since this incident, we’ve been asked, ‘Why don’t you electrify the fence?’ or ‘Why isn’t that fence taller?’
In addition, the airport will conduct a review to better understand the incident and how it occurred. The CEO noted that while the airport had fence jumpers before, they were contained relatively quickly.
Key things
- The incident highlights the need for better security measures at airports.
- Mental health awareness and resources are critical to preventing similar tragedies.
- Understanding the motivations behind such actions can aid in the development of prevention strategies.
