A gunman killed five and injured eight people when he opened fire on crowds patronising the Fort Fauderdale Airport in Florida.

The gunman, now identified as 26 year old Esteban Santiago, was in possession of a handgun which he used to open fire on helpless bystanders in the airport.

Santiago, an Iraqi war veteran, arrived in Fort Lauderdale from Anchorage on board a Delta flight Thursday night with a gun in checked luggage.

“After he claimed his bag, he went into the bathroom and loaded the gun and started shooting. We don’t know why,” said Chip LaMarca, a Broward county commissioner.

He reportedly fired until he run out of ammunition, then dropped the weapon and lay spread-eagled, at which point law enforcement took him into custody.

Five people died in the shooting, whilst the injured are receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.