British great-grandmother confirmed among dead as Fort Lauderdale victims named

Olga Woltering, a British great-grandmother, has been confirmed as one of the five dead in a shooting at Florida's Fort Lauderdale airport on Friday. The deaths occurred after a man identified as Esteban Santiago opened fire in the airport, near the baggage reclaim area.

Woltering, who's Facebook page indicates was originally from Ipswich in Suffolk, had been living in the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Ralph, who is a former serviceman with the US Air Force. Though Olga died in the attack, Ralph was not injured.

The couple had been in Fort Lauderdale to join a cruise, according to local reports. The cruise, which they were due to take with their children was planned in celebration of Ralph's 90<sup>th birthday.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Saturday, the Transfiguration Catholic Church in the couple's hometown, Marietta, which had been attended by the couple since 1978 said: "It is with heavy hearts that we report that one of our parishioners, Olga Woltering, was killed in the Ft. Lauderdale airport tragedy.

"Olga was so charming, calling everybody 'Lovey' or 'Love' in her unmistakable British accent," the church added.

Father Fernando Molina-Restrepo told the church: "Olga was one of the most joyful, loving, caring and committed people I have ever met. This is a horrible tragedy for everyone here at Transfiguration, especially because Olga was so loved."

The other victims named are 62-year-old Terry Andres, a grandfather originally from New Jersey, and Michael Oehme. According to reports, Michael's wife Kari was also shot and is undergoing treatment in hospital.

The suspected shooter, 26-year-old Esteban Santiago, has been charged with performing an act of violence at an international airport resulting in death, using a firearm during a crime of violence and causing the death of a person through use of a firearm. Santiago, who's family said he had a history of mental health problems, was already known to the FBI.

Reports suggest the FBI previously confiscated a gun from Santiago, from Anchorage, Alaska, in November after he walked into an FBI office and said the US government was controlling his mind, and that he was being forced to watch Islamic State videos. However, after conducting mental health tests, his gun was returned to him.

Santiago, now in police custody, is due to appear in court on Monday.