On Friday morning, November 1, 2013 a gunman armed with a high-powered rifle opened fire at Los Angeles International Airport. The City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated (Level I “City Watch”) at 1000 hours in response to the shooting. The following are a few updates of the incident:

1800 Hours LAX Update

The Upper and Lower Level roadways in the passenger terminal area are expected to re-open by 6 p.m. for all vehicles. Motorists picking up and dropping off passengers will be allowed to enter the terminal area. The passenger transport of passengers to Lot C will stop after the roadways re-open.

For passengers requiring special assistance:

Los Angeles County Mental Health personnel have been on-scene and available for those seeking mental assistance. Please call LA County Mental Health’s hotline at 1-800-854-7771.

LA City sign-language interpreters have been on-scene as well.

Passengers unable to reclaim personal belongings containing medical supplies/prescriptions should contact LAX’s on-airport medical clinic: Reliant Medical Clinic at 9601 South Sepulveda Blvd. at the intersection of 96th Street and Sepulveda Boulevard or phone 1-310-215-6020.

The American Red Cross has been on-scene distributing water and snacks to stranded passengers relocated from Terminals 1, 2 and 3.

1730 Hours LAX Update

At 4 p.m., the FAA lifted the national ground stop on arriving flights to LAX (i.e., flights from originating airports can now depart for LAX).

The passenger terminal area Upper and Lower roadways are still closed to incoming personal vehicles until further notice. However, taxis, limos, courtesy shuttles, FlyAway and long-distance buses and other forms of public transportation are being allowed to enter the passenger terminal area on the Upper and Lower Levels to pick up and drop off passengers.

Motorists picking up passengers are directed to go to LAX Economy Parking Lot C at the intersection of 98th Street and Sepulveda Blvd. until the passenger terminal area roadways re-open. Arriving passengers from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are either leaving the airport in their own parked vehicles or being bussed to Lot C to meet motorists picking them up.

Terminal 3 and Parking Structure 3 will remain closed until the law enforcement investigation concludes and cleared. The airlines in Terminal 3 (Virgin America, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant Air) have voluntarily cancelled all their arriving and departing flights for the rest of today. Passengers with personal belongings abandoned in Terminal 3 and/or with vehicles parked in Parking Structure 3 should expect several more hours – or evening tomorrow – to be able to reclaim their personal belongings or their vehicles.

Impacted flights: Between 9:30 am and 3 pm, there were 268 scheduled arrival flights with estimated 20,000 passengers affected —many of which were held at their originating airports. At this time, 46 arrival flights were diverted to other airports in the region with an estimated 5,000 passengers. There were 478 scheduled departure flights with an estimated 51,210 affected passengers. Total arriving, diverted, and departing passengers: 76,000 passengers.

Passengers stranded at LAX may contact a hotel accommodations hotline established by LA Tourism & Convention Board at 1-888-831-7176.

Terminals 1 and 2 (and Parking Structures 1 and 2) are re-opened so that employees first, then passengers who are already at the airport are re-entering the terminals for departing flights.

All passengers are advised to contact their airlines for status on their flights.

LAX_Official on Twitter will continue to be the official source of information for airport conditions

1700 Hours LAX Update

Impacted flights: Between 9:30 am and 3 pm, there were 268 scheduled arrival flights with estimated 20,000 passengers affected —many of which were held at their originating airports At this time, 46 arrival flights were diverted to other airports in the region with an estimated 5,000 passengers. There were 478 scheduled departure flights with an estimated 51,210 affected passengers. Total arriving, diverted, and departing passengers: 76,000 passengers.

Terminals 1 and 2 and parking structures are re-opened so that employees first, then passengers can re-enter the terminals.

Terminal 3 and Parking Structure 3 will remain closed until the law enforcement investigation concludes and cleared. Arrangements for airlines operating in Terminal 3 to temporarily relocate to another terminal area.

Motorists picking up passengers are directed to go to LAX Economy Parking Lot C at the intersection of 98th Street and Sepulveda Blvd. until the passenger terminal area roadways re-open.

FAA national ground stop on arriving flights remains in effect until 4 p.m.

Passengers stranded at LAX may contact a hotel accommodations hotline established by LA Tourism & Convention Board at 1-888-831-7176.

1600 hours EMD Update

Westerchester Recreation Center has been established as shelter site for displaced passengers at LAX. The center is located at 7000 W. Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles 90025.

A hotline has been activated to help travelers stranded at (LAX) find lodging. The toll-free hotline is 1-888-831-7176, and it connects directly to a hotel booking service to connect travelers to hotels in the area nearby LAX Airport. A companion weblink is also available at Discover LA.

1520 hours LAX – Public Relations Update #5:

Motorists meeting passengers are directed to LAX Economy Parking Lot C. Passengers will be transported by bus to Lot C within two hours.

Stranded passengers who will need hotel accommodations should contact an LA Tourism & Convention Board hotline at: 1-888-831-7176.

LAX_Official on Twitter will continue to be the official source of information for airport conditions.

1500 hours LAX – Public Relations Update #4:

Phasing of the re-openings of Terminals 1 and 2, as well as the parking structures, will begin shortly. Passengers in those two terminals who wish to leave the a irport are being allowed to do so by either walking out of the airport or driving their parked vehicles out.

Once the terminals are re-opened, the terminals will be repopulated with airport workers first, then departing passengers will be allowed to re-enter the terminals. Personal belongings abandoned during the evacuation can be claimed in the baggage claim areas of the terminals in which they were abandoned. Because the incident occurred in Terminal 3 and an investigation continues in that terminal and in Parking Structure3, those two facilities will continue to be closed to the public. Until Terminal 3 is re-opened, operations of the airlines in that terminal will be relocated to another terminal. All passengers are advised to contact their airlines for status of their flights.

LAX_Official on Twitter will continue to be the official source of information for airport conditions.

1320 hours LAX – Public Relations Update #3:

The FAA has issued a national ground-stop, or hold, for all flights that have not yet departed from their originating airports to LAX. Arriving flights already in the air are either landing at LAX or diverting to other airports in the local region.

All airport roadways are still closed until further notice. In the meantime, all motorists are advised to not drive to the passenger terminal area. The California Highway Patrol reports they have closed the entrances and exits on I-405 and I-105 to the airport.

Airport officials report ALL departure flights from Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are delayed until further notice. Passengers who were in those three terminals and already processed through federal security screening were relocated to other terminals for sheltering in place while law enforcement officials conduct its investigation. Some airlines at Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), Terminals 4, 5,6,7,and 8 have temporarily suspended departing flights because their passengers cannot reach their terminals. All passengers are advised to contact their airlines for status of their flights.

LAX_Official on Twitter will continue to be the official source of information for airport conditions.

1057 hours LAX – Public Relations Update#2:

Suspect is now in custody. Multiple victims. Press conference today at 11:30 a.m. at entrance to LAX located at Sepulveda Blvd and Century Blvd with Airport Police Chief Gannon, LAPD Police Chief Beck and Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti.

0951 hours LAX – Public Relations Update #1:

All Upper/Departures Level roadways are temporarily blocked by law enforcement. The general public is being held back at law enforcement block. Other than arriving flights, flight operations have been temporary held.