Bullet Found Outside Gate Delays Florida Flights

A bullet found outside a gate at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport prompted authorities to evacuate a busy concourse Monday, delaying flights up to three hours.

A passenger discovered the small-caliber bullet about 7:40 a.m. outside a gate leading to a Spirit Airlines flight.

The passenger alerted sheriff’s deputies, who evacuated the concourse and searched for weapons using dogs but found nothing, an FBI spokeswoman said.

Police searched passengers’ bags, and two planes awaiting takeoff returned to the terminal.

Airport spokesman Jim Reynolds said the concourse reopened about two hours later. “This will have a ripple effect throughout the day,” he said. “Fortunately, this is not the most heavily traveled day of the holidays.”