Gatwick Airport’s train terminus was closed on Friday afternoon following a joint police operation after passengers reported a man carrying two firearms on a service from Brighton to the London airport.
British Transport Police and Sussex Police descended on the scene, with officers swarming the terminal station as the train carrying the armed man approached. The man was detained when the service pulled into the airport station at 1.25pm.
The station closure caused disruption to airport passengers and staff attempting to access Gatwick via rail services. The joint response from two police forces reflected the serious nature of the firearms report and the sensitive location of the incident at a major international airport.
Passengers aboard the Brighton to Gatwick service alerted authorities to the presence of the armed man during the journey, triggering the police response that culminated in the arrest upon arrival at the airport terminus.
Both British Transport Police, which has jurisdiction over railway stations and services, and Sussex Police, the territorial force covering the area, participated in the operation. The coordination between the two forces enabled a swift response to the firearms report.
