Accused airport gunman expected before judge on Thursday

According to court documents, Michael Wayne Pettigrew is scheduled to appear before an Orange County judge on Thursday morning.

Pettigrew is currently listed as charged with aggravated assault on a firefighter, with a $2500 bond, but Judge Dan Traver reset his initial appearance on Wednesday with mental health as the listed reason. Pettigrew also has three  undisclosed holds on his jail booking information.

Pettigrew is the man accused of sending Orlando International Airport into a halt Tuesday when police said Pettigrew showed up in the rental car area of Terminal A with a fake gun. The incident sparked a two-hour standoff with police that investigators believe was an attempt at “suicide by cop.”

No one answered the door at Pettigrew’s listed apartment on Wednesday, but neighbors living nearby said the news was a shock. One said Pettigrew and his family kept to themselves but did have the cops called to their apartment before.

Meanwhile, life at the airport seemed to return to normal Wednesday. Though several employees and volunteers in the rental car area said they were instructed to review their safety procedures after the frightening incident.