Four days after the shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, many questions remain unanswered, including what motivated suspected shooter Esteban Santiago.
Santiago’s brother claimed Esteban suffered from post traumatic stress disorder after he returned from Iraq. He has never been officially diagnosed and experts raising serious doubts, saying Santiago’s symptoms just don’t match those of PTSD.
“It’s a big red flag that something is definitely wrong,” said trauma therapist Carol Martz.
She said symptoms include insomnia, mistrust and flashbacks along a long list of other symptoms.
55-year-old veteran Ray Nazareth was diagnosed with PTSD in 2000 and lives with it every day.
“It’s painful,” Nazareth said. “Sometimes I just tuck it in a closet and try to keep a happy face but sometimes I’m in pain. I’m broken hearted.”
Nazareth said he has trouble sleeping and has a hard time trusting people.
“It’s not a good idea to come up on me because I think you’re up to no good,” Nazareth said.
He also suffers from flashbacks.
“I walk around like it’s real,” Nazareth said.
All of those are typical symptoms of PTSD; not on the list: hallucinations.
Santiago’s brother said when Esteban came back from Iraq he started to hear voices.
Martz said that’s not a symptom of PTSD, instead she said that sounds more like schizophrenia.
“Often young men have a psychotic break in their teens or early twenties,” Martz.
That would fit Santiago who is 26-years-old. Martz also said that without being able to examine Santiago, it is possible that Santiago suffers from PTSD in addition to another mental health issue.
