Officials said 31-year-old Leonardo Alvarez approached the deputy from behind in a gate area around 2:45 p.m. and grabbed his gun. The deputy and a second Sheriff's Department employee, who were patrolling the airport, recovered the gun during a struggle and took Alvarez into custody.
The second Sheriff's Department employee injured his hand during the arrest and was treated at a local hospital. No shots were fired.
Alvarez was booked into jail for assault on a peace officer. Authorities said Alvarez admitted to using drugs throughout the day.