Man who fired gun inside Atlanta airport sentenced to 10 years in federal prison

ATLANTA — The man who sent Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport into chaos in November 2021 is heading to federal prison.

Kenny Wells Jr., 42, fired a gunshot while at the main TSA security checkpoint on November 20, 2021.

According to investigators, Wells ran from the airport after the gun went off and threw it in a nearby trash can. He was captured three days later after Atlanta police used airport surveillance video to find the gun.

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Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne was the only reporter in the courtroom in January when Wells pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On Wednesday, Wells was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

After his January plea, the government indicated they would be recommending a sentence of ten years and the defense appeared to agree to the sentence.

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Police say Wells is a convicted felon. He was released from prison in 2000. He has a list of offenses between 1997 and 2015 including burglary, forgery, impersonating an officer, false imprisonment, theft by taking and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

TSA agents said they found the gun in his bag as it passed through the security screening area, so they pulled him aside for another search.

“During that secondary search, the passenger lunged into his property, grabbing a firearm that was located inside which ultimately discharged,” said Robert Spinden with the Transportation Security Administration.

Police say three people needed medical assistance after Wells fired his weapon. One person fell in the atrium and two others complained of shortness of breath.

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Convicted felon who fired gun at TSA checkpoint pleads guilty in court

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