METRO AIRPORT (WXYZ) — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport has installed 9,000-pound concrete barriers at all terminals following a car crash into the McNamara Terminal nearly two weeks ago.
Watch Evan Sery's video report:
The incident occurred on a Friday night when a driver crashed through the terminal, though fortunately, no one was injured. The Wayne County Airport Authority says the investigation continues.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Mercedes slams into McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport
"I've been with the airport for 27 years, and what occurred on January 23rd at the McNamara Terminal is unprecedented. It has definitely changed our security posture," Wayne County Airport Authority CEO Chad Newton said in a statement. "As a result of what happened, you will see 9,000-pound cement barriers are in place."
The barriers are now staggered at every DTW terminal as a security upgrade to prevent similar incidents.
Travelers have mixed reactions to the new security measures. Kim Beauchamp, who was flying out of DTW Wednesday, said she was out of the country when the crash happened but saw it make international headlines.
"It's kind of a shock, can't imagine that would happen at an airport," Beauchamp said. "I don't know if that's a long-term solution, but I think it's wonderful they did something that quickly."
However, frequent flyer Jack Akey believes the barriers are unnecessary.
"It's an overkill," Akey said. "How many airports are in this country, and how many times does something like that happen?"
Former FBI agent Bartnowak disagrees, saying even one incident is too many.
"Whether or not it was a medical emergency or intentional, the thing they're gonna be concerned about is can someone else do this again," Bartnowak said.
Newton says the driver is undergoing a medical evaluation, and police will present their findings to the prosecutor's office. He adds that the airport is more secure now than it was last week.
"You hear about people crashing into homes, stores, all kinds of places, things like that can happen anywhere," Beauchamp said. "You just always hope and pray no one is injured."
————————————————————————-
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
