A metro Atlanta resident has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for discharging a firearm at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the 2021 Thanksgiving holiday season nearly two years ago.
Kenny Wells, 44, was sentenced on Thursday on the charge of possessing a firearm while being a convicted felon.
“Kenny Wells is a very violent individual who displays a total lack of concern for the lives of others. This sentence represents the seriousness of his crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones in a statement. “This sentence also ensures that Wells will not be able to hurt or terrorize anyone else for a very long time.”
On Nov. 20, 2021, Wells discharged a firearm at Hartsfield–Jackson, forcing a lockdown of the airport and the surrounding area for over two hours. Wells was traveling from Atlanta to New Orleans, Louisiana.
At approximately 1:30 p.m., according to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, Wells joined a line for TSA screening. When a bag belonging to the now-incarcerated passenger caught the eye of an officer after going through an X-ray portal, it was moved to a side area for closer inspection.