COLUMBUS (WCMH) — A Central Ohio man is back home, after a trip which took him to Fort Lauderdale on the same day a gunman opened fire at the south Florida airport.

Sean Carpenter said he arrived at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, just after the gunfire ended.

He learned about what happened before deplaning, when his mother called to make sure he was safe.

Carpenter said much of the commotion he saw was outside of the airport.

“As we left the airport, you could see traffic backed up for miles because they weren’t letting anyone in,” he said. “There were police authorities. There were helicopters. I felt lucky that I landed when I did.”

Carpenter said he left the airport with a gentleman, who was there picking up friends.

He later took an Uber to his destination.

“Another person that was going to the same conference as I did landed about 40 minutes after me,” he explained. “I think he was one of the last planes in and he ended up staying on the tarmac for about four hours.”

Carpenter returned home, late Sunday evening, without any major setbacks.