CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (AP) — In a shocking security breach, a man drove his pickup truck through a roadside gate at Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Tuesday morning, crossing a runway before being taken into custody. The unidentified individual was apprehended without incident about six minutes after damaging the gate, according to Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Chief Brian Patterson.
The incident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. and, fortunately, did not disrupt air traffic operations at the western New York airport. Patterson stated during a press briefing that investigators have concluded the breach was intentional, although the motives behind it remain unclear.
According to Chief Patterson, the pickup truck navigated through a taxiway and onto a runway before the driver was arrested on an inactive runway near a training aircraft. The man now faces both state and federal charges, with the FBI assisting in the ongoing investigation.
A dog found inside the vehicle was being cared for by authorities. The swift response by law enforcement prevented any potential harm, and airport operations continued without interruption.
