Fed charges filed
against Kauai suspectThe man allegedly fired two
shots in a secure airport area
Federal prosecutors filed charges against a Kauai man who allegedly fired two shots in a secure area at Lihue Airport last week.
Lloyd Albinio, 24, faces a maximum 10 years in prison if convicted, compared with probation had he been prosecuted for reckless endangering in state court, said U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo.
Kubo said his office took over the case because of the violence involved and the potential for deadly results to a federal officer and to nearly 200 people at Lihue Airport.
Albinio, of Kapaa, was charged in U.S. District Court yesterday with forcibly assaulting, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer in the performance of his duties.
"This was a seriously violent crime which will be treated seriously in federal court," Kubo said.
Albinio was allegedly armed with a Sig Sauer 9-mm semiautomatic pistol when he bypassed Transportation Safety Administration security checkpoints Thursday and entered a closed hallway near the Hawaiian Airlines baggage claim leading back to the boarding gates, according to an affidavit filed in federal court by Special Agent Jordan Lowe of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
TSA officer Glenn Hing, who was unarmed, was monitoring the area and confronted Albinio, informing him that he could not enter the gate area through there, according to the affidavit.
Albinio allegedly pointed his firearm at Hing's upper body, saying something to the effect of, "What, you like to see if this gun is loaded?" Lowe wrote.
Albinio then allegedly fired the gun away from Hing and entered the gate area, went through two sets of double doors, turned right, then fired another shot in an area full of passengers.
Hing was intimidated by Albinio's actions and feared for the safety of himself, other employees and everyone else at the airport, Lowe said.
The shots were fired into the ground and into the ceiling. No one was injured.
Kauai police officers managed to disarm Albinio and arrest him.
He remains at Mahelona Medical Center, a state mental institution on Kauai, where he was taken Thursday night for evaluation.
Kubo said the facts of the case show Albinio knew "exactly what he was doing" when he challenged Hing, proved his gun was loaded and then terrorized more than 200 people at the airport.
"His actions throughout this time period show he was clearheaded and calculated in what he wanted to do," Kubo said.
Kubo said Albinio's motive is still under investigation.
He declined comment on whether Albinio may have been under the influence of drugs at the time.
Albinio is expected to be in federal custody before the end of the week.