Department of Homeland Security report admits air marshals 'overreacted' in airport shooting

Although the department claims otherwise publicly, a confidential internal report within the Department of Homeland Security admits air marshals "overreacted" when they gunned down a Florida man at Miami International Airport last week.

The report, which may never be released publicly, confirms that preliminary interviews with witnesses conflict the statements of air marshals who claim Rigoberto Alpizar shouted he had a bomb as he stormed off a plane and up a jetway at the airport.

"Although witness statements contain conflicting information, none of those interrogated following the incident collaborate any utterance by the suspect that he either possessed, or intended to detonate, an explosive device," the report says.

A Department of Homeland Security source, unhappy with what he calls the agency's "blatant attempt to whitewash this incident," disclosed the contents of the report to Capitol Hill Blue.

Publicly, DHS and the Air Marshal Service claim the two agents who brought down Alpizar in a hail of bullets from their 357 Sig Sauer handguns acted "within guidelines" for handling potential terrorist activities.

"He was belligerent. He threatened that he had a bomb in his backpack," claimed Brian Doyle, DHS spokesman. "The officers clearly identified themselves and yelled at him to 'get down, get down.' Instead, he made a move toward the backpack."

But Alpizar, a 44-year-old naturalized American citizen from Costa Rica, suffered from bipolar disorder and had not taken his prescription medication to control the condition. The Home Depot employee who lived in Maitland, Florida, did not have a bomb and witnesses on the scene dispute the marshals’ claim that he shouted he did.

"I can tell you, he never said a thing in that airplane; he never called out he had a bomb," says fellow passenger Jorge Borelli, an Orlando architect.

"He just wanted to get off the plane," says passenger John McAlhany, He adds that Alpizar was "clearly agitated" but said nothing about a bomb. "I never heard the word 'bomb' until the FBI asked me: 'Did you hear the word bomb?'"

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