THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED AND CAN BE READ HERE

6.00pm: BAHAMASAIR's final flight schduled to land in Fort Lauderdale this evening has been diverted to Miami, airlines officials confirmed today.

The flight is due to depart at 5:55 from Lynden Pindling Internation Airport (LPIA).

4.45pm: THE Bahamas' Consulate General in Miami today said it has been in touch with authorities in the city of Fort Lauderdale to determine if any Bahamian citizens were involved or affected by a shooting there that claimed the lives of five people.

Friday's statement by the office read: "We await word and will update the country as events unfold. Bahamasair does not operate from the terminal where the shooting took place but all operations at the airport including those of Bahamasair are for the moment discontinued.”

It continued: "Bahamasair reports to the Consulate General that all employees are accounted for. Furthermore, all staff of The Bahamas Consulate and Bahamas Tourist Office are accounted for."

3.35pm: The number of injured has been confirmed as eight.

3.15pm: Reports now say that five people are dead and 13 were injured in the shooting.

2.50pm: BAHAMASAIR officials this afternoon confirmed that no flights, outbound to or inbound from, the Fort Lauderdale International Airport were affected by that deadly shooting that left "multiple people dead”.

The Airlines Director of Customer Service, John Fowler, indicated that the airline had cleared all flight prior to the incident which occurred shortly before 1pm.

Mr Fowler added that the airline was working with airport officials in Fort Lauderdale to determine the how best to handle its 5:55 flight to the city.

Bahamasair operates out of terminal 3, Friday's shooting occurred in terminal 2.

2.35pm UPDATE: Media reports say five people are dead and eight are injured after the shooting in Terminal 2 of Fort Lauderdale airport this morning. Police are believed to have the shooter in custody. Terminal 1 is reportedly being evacuated.

AUTHORITIES say multiple people have died and eight were wounded after a lone suspect opened fire at the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, international airport.

Some media reports are claiming five people have died.

The Broward County Sheriff's Office tweeted the information following Friday afternoon's shooting.

Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief told CNN that authorities "have an active crime scene investigation involving terminal 2."

Bahamasair and Jet Blue fly into Terminal 3.

News stations showed video of medics taking care of a bleeding victim outside the airport. Helicopters hovering over the scene showed hundreds of people standing on the tarmac as an ambulance drove by and numerous law enforcement officers, including tactical units, rushed to the scene.

Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer tweeted that he was at the airport when shots were fired and "everyone is running."

Video of the scene shortly after the shooting, posted by WPLG Local 10: