Customs officer fires gun during freeway conflict outside JFK airport
The investigation led to traffic delays in the area during the morning commute, but those issues lessened as the morning progressed
An on-duty Customs and Border Protection officer fired his weapon several times on a freeway leading to New York's main airport after he said another driver attacked him over a minor traffic crash, Port Authority police said.
After firing his weapon multiple times, it wasn’t clear if any of the shots hit the other driver, who fled the scene after the shooting, according to the customs officer.
The two-vehicle crash happened shortly before 5 a.m. near John F. Kennedy airport on Tuesday in the southbound lanes of the Van Wyck Expressway, Port Authority police said.
The Port Authority didn't say if the officer was driving an official vehicle, and his name has not been released.
The episode near John F. Kennedy International Airport remains under investigation, and no arrests have been made. The officer was unhurt.
The investigation led to traffic delays in the area during the morning commute, but those issues lessened as the morning progressed.
JFK faced massive delays over the weekend due to weather and icy conditions. A ground stop was in effect, halting all takeoffs and landings.
More than 1,000 flights were delayed on Sunday between airlines, according to the FAA, after JFK saw nearly five inches of snowfall.
The National Weather Service said that 4.6 inches of snow had fallen in the area by 1 p.m.
As congestion built up, Delta flights to JFK were temporarily stopped from taking off.
"Winter weather conditions impacting taxiways at JFK contributed to flight delays Sunday evening. Safety is always our top priority, and we appreciate our customers' patience during this period and apologize for the delay in their travels,” Delta Air Lines said in a statement.
Sunday’s snowfall brought between 1 and 4 inches to parts of the city, New York’s first major snowfall of the season.
The aftermath of the ground stop led to more cancellations at Delta and the airport on Monday.