New footage has just been released of the horrific moment a Frontier passenger jet hit and killed a trespasser on a runway at Denver International Airport.
The incident took place late Friday night.
In case you missed it, here’s our original report:
WATCH: Horrifying Moment Plane Strikes & K*lls Pedestrian on Denver Airport Runway
Reportedly, the person was struck shortly after breaching security at the airport.
The new thermal surveillance video was released by Denver's Aviation Department.
Watch it here (WARNING: may be disturbing to some):
NEW: Footage shows the moment an individual walked on the Denver airport runway and stood in front of a Frontier Airlines jet.
Authorities say the person scaled a fence about two minutes before being struck on the runway.
The collision caused an engine fire, and the pilot was… pic.twitter.com/6TDyLZ6oiD
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 11, 2026
NEW: Footage shows the moment an individual walked on the Denver airport runway and stood in front of a Frontier Airlines jet.
Authorities say the person scaled a fence about two minutes before being struck on the runway.
The collision caused an engine fire, and the pilot was forced to stop the plane from taking off.
"Runway 17L is closed. I do have limbs on the runway. I believe the aircraft struck an individual," a first responder reportedly said.
ABC News reports that the person was "at least partially consumed" by the engine.
12 people on board were injured, and five were taken to the hospital.
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The incident is still under investigation.
At this time, the person's name has not been released to the public, and we don't know what their motivation was.
NBC News has more:
In a statement Sunday, airport CEO Phil Washington characterized the person who was killed as a trespasser. Airport officials said the person did not appear to be an employee of the facility.
Ryann Money, a spokesperson for the Denver Medical Examiner’s Office, said by email that the person’s name, as well as the cause and manner of death, will be released to the public “once our investigation is complete and next of kin have been notified.”
A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said it was gathering information about the collision. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating.
These days, events like this are especially concerning.
While tragic, this specific case seems like someone who was not mentally well and/or very stupid.
But, it could have been so much worse.
What if the trespasser had been a terrorist loaded with bombs?
Needless to say, the incident is raising a lot of questions about airport security across the nation.
Denver 7 has more on that:
The incident is now fueling broader concerns about how easily someone can access restricted airfield space.
Aviation security expert and Metro State University Denver professor Jeff Price told Denver7 that accessing airport grounds is surprisingly easy.
“Airport fencing is not that difficult to overcome. Anybody who's ever seen an airport fence. It's not really that complex. Some airports have more complex fencing than others. TSA standards vary from airport to airport. Dia obviously meets those standards,” Price said.
Price said the goal of the perimeter fencing around an airport is not necessarily to prevent people from trespassing, but more to slow them down.
“It's really there to be a delaying action, a deterrence action, to allow the airport and other personnel to respond if somebody tries to get on the airfield, and then the other reason it's there, and the irony of the situation is to keep people from inadvertently walking onto the airfield from a safety perspective,” he said.
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