Kansas City airport evacuated as authorities investigate potential threat

KANSAS CITY — Parts of Kansas City International Airport were being evacuated Sunday afternoon as authorities investigated a potential threat, the Kansas City Aviation Department said.

Airport spokesman Jackson Overstreet said in an email that the threat was first reported at 11:15 a.m. local time and the entire terminal was evacuated. He said flights that have landed since then were held on the taxiway.

FBI spokesman Dixon Land said in an email to The Associated Press that “the FBI is aware of the incident and our staff is working with airport and law enforcement officials to determine the credibility of the threat.”

Logan Hawley, 29, said he was waiting to board a flight to Texas when he noticed a swarm of police and K9 units inside the terminal.

“Suddenly an airport employee said ‘evacuate immediately.’ People got up quickly and rushed out of there,” Hawley said.

The group of around 2,000 people was led onto the tarmac.