LAX shooting: The latest



A gunman armed with a high-powered rifle opened fire at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday morning, killing a TSA agent and wounding several others, authorities said.

Authorities said the gunman fired at several locations in Terminal 3 before police shot him. LAX police did not reveal his condition.

[Updated at 1 p.m.: The Times earlier reported that the suspect was dead. But sources have since told the paper that he is in critical condition.]


The motive was unclear. A federal law enforcement official said that the gunman was a ticketed passenger entering the airport.

MORE: Eyewitness accounts of LAX shooting

Officials don’t believe the gunman has ever worked for TSA. Law enforcement sources had earlier told The Times that the gunman was a TSA employee.

Los Angeles Police Department anti-terrorism officials were on the scene, but sources said they believe the suspect acted alone and was not tied to any known terrorist group.


At a news conference, the Los Angeles Fire Department said it treated seven people at the scene and transported six to local hospitals.

Patrick Gannon, the LAX police chief, said the gunman entered Terminal 3 at 9:20 a.m. He pulled an assault rifle out of his bag and began firing. He moved into the screening area and continued shooting, Gannon said. He got past the checkpoint and moved further into the terminal.

Authorities tracked him down and shot him near a Burger King.

Vernon Cardenas, 45, of West Hollywood said he was at the airport on his way to Philadelphia when the shooting occurred.

“Sitting down, all of a sudden, literally just out of the blue, you hear a rumble in the background and a couple of seconds later, people are running at me,” said Cardenas, who does casting for the Fox television show “MasterChef.” He described the scene as “mayhem,” with couples crying and parents who couldn’t find their children.


Brian Adamick, 43, said he was boarding a Spirit Airlines flight to Chicago at Gate 32 when a commotion erupted.

He said people were running through the terminal, away from a security area. Adamick said he went through an emergency exit downstairs onto the tarmac with several other passengers.

“While I was on the tarmac, I heard two gunshots from the same area where the people had been running and screaming,” he said.

A few minutes after he got outside, he said buses showed up to help evacuate passengers. He said he saw a wounded TSA agent board one of the buses. The man’s ankle was bloody: “it looked like it was straight out of the movies,” Adamick said.


The man told him, “I got shot, I’m fine.” He told passengers not to worry about him and that he had been shot before, Adamick said.

A White House official said President Obama had been informed of the incident: “The President has been briefed about the shooting at LAX. We will continue to stay in touch with our federal and local partners. The LAPD is leading the response and investigation. We urge citizens to listen to the authorities and follow directions from the first responders on site. The president will continue to receive briefings throughout the day.”

Tory Belleci of the television show “Mythbusters” tweeted: “Heard gun shots then everyone starting running for the door. Not sure if anyone was hurt. #LAX.”

TV news footage showed dozens of officers swarming the airport. Images also showed a law enforcement officer being treated by paramedics. He appeared to be alert. Another officer had a bloody hand.


Earlier coverage

12:17 p.m.: A federal law enforcement official said that the gunman was a ticketed passenger entering the airport. Officials don’t believe the gunman has ever worked for TSA. Law enforcement sources had earlier told The Times the gunman was a TSA employee.

12:05 p.m.: FBI: “We do not see any threats” at LAX at this time.

12:03 p.m. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck: Police will not discuss nature of injuries, any details about the suspect. Case being handled by FBI.


12:02 p.m.: Seven people treated by LAFD. Six transported to hospitals.

12:01 p.m.: LAX says some flights diverted to Ontario. Latest updates on flight schedule can be found on Twitter. @lax_official. Flights will be significantly delayed.

12:00 p.m.: Gannon said “multiple victims” have been shot. He did not provide further details.

11:58 a.m.: Patrick Gannon, LAX police chief: Suspect pulled rifle out of bag, opened fire in several locations. Police tracked suspect down, shot him in Terminal 3. He was taken into custody. “At this point be believe this was a lone shooter,” he said.


11:56 a.m.: Garcetti: People should stay away from LAX, even those with flights this afternoon.

11:55 a.m.: Garcetti: Situation at LAX now “static.”

11:50 a.m. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said on Twitter that planes at LAX are now departing from several terminals. But no new passengers are being allowed into LAX.

11:36 a.m.: Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that the gunman was a Transportation Security Administration employee at LAX. The gunman was killed by authorities after he opened fire Friday morning. He allegedly shot and killed a fellow TSA employee.


11:20 a.m. The gunman who opened fire at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday morning, killing a TSA agent, is dead, law enforcement sources told The Times.

No details about how he died were available. Law enforcement sources said investigators were trying to determine whether the gunman worked at LAX.

Los Angeles Police Department anti-terrorism officials were on the scene, but sources said they don’t believe the suspect was tied to any known terrorist groups.

MORE: Eyewitness accounts of LAX shooting


11:10 a.m. A federal law enforcement official said that a TSA officer was shot and killed at a passenger screening checkpoint at Los Angeles International Airport. Three or four other TSA employees were injured in the shooting, the official said.

A suspect was in custody, the official said. The LAPD has taken control of the investigation and the crime scene, the official said. At this stage, the suspect does not seem to have a connection to a terrorist organization, and investigators were working to determine the motivation for the attack.

“This is a fluid situation,” the law enforcement official said.

A second federal source confirmed to The Times that the TSA officer was killed.


11:07 a.m.: A news conference at LAX is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., according to the LAPD.

11 a.m.: SHOOTING AT LAX, EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: Vernon Cardenas, 45, of West Hollywood said he was at the airport on his way to Philadelphia when the shooting occurred about 9:30 a.m. in Terminal 3.

“Sitting down, all of a sudden, literally just out of the blue, you hear a rumble in the background and a couple of seconds later, people are running at me,” said Cardenas, who does casting for the Fox television show “MasterChef.” He described the scene as “mayhem,” with couples crying and parents who couldn’t find their children.

10:55 a.m.: Traffic in and around LAX is jammed. LAX passengers, some with children and luggage, fill sidewalks.


10:50 a.m.: A law enforcement source said that the gunman had a high-powered rifle and that at least three people were wounded, including one TSA agent.The suspect was in custody. Police looked for possible other suspects but so far have found none.

10:39 a.m.: Flights have been grounded at Los Angeles International Airport after a shooting that wounded at least one TSA agent. LAX officials said they did not know when flights would resume.

10:36 a.m.: A White House official said President Obama had been informed of the incident: “The President has been briefed about the shooting at LAX. We will continue to stay in touch with our federal and local partners. The LAPD is leading the response and investigation. We urge citizens to listen to the authorities and follow directions from the first responders on site. The president will continue to receive briefings throughout the day.”

10:30 a.m.: EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT: Brian Adamick, 43, said he was getting ready to fly to Chicago for his brother’s wedding and was boarding a Spirit Airlines flight at Gate 32 in Terminal 3.


He said people were running through the terminal, away from a security area. Adamick said he went through an emergency exit downstairs onto the tarmac with several other passengers.

“While I was on the tarmac, I heard two gunshots from the same area where the people had been running and screaming,” he said.

A few minutes after he got outside, he said buses showed up to help evacuate passengers. He saw a wounded TSA agent board one of the buses. The man’s ankle was bloody: “it looked like it was straight out of the movies,” Adamick said.

The man, told him, “I got shot, I’m fine.” He told passengers not to worry about him and that he had been shot before, Adamick said.


10:24 a.m.: TSA spokesman Nico Melendez confirmed one TSA officer was wounded in the shooting at LAX. He could provide no other details.

10:18 a.m.: Planes at LAX are grounded as the investigation of a shooting in which multiple people were wounded continues.

10:13 a.m.: A source at LAX told The Times that two or three TSA employees were hit by gunfire.

10:06 a.m.: The Los Angeles Police Department is on a citywide tactical alert. The LAPD would confirm only that two people were injured and that the suspect was in custody. LAPD Commander Andy Smith said “multiple shootings” occurred and that officers are still sorting out how many people were hurt.


10:05 a.m.: A man armed with a rifle opened fire at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday, leaving several people wounded.

Law enforcement sources told The Times that at least one Transportation Security Administration agent was shot.

Law enforcement officers were flooding the airport and terminals 2 and 3 were being evacuated.

Tory Belleci of the television show “Mythbusters” tweeted: “Heard gun shots then eve11:07 a.m.: A press conference at LAX is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., according to LAPDryone starting running for the door. Not sure if anyone was hurt. #LAX.”


TV footage showed dozens of offficers swarming the airport. Images also showed a law enforcement officer being treated by paramedics. He appeared to be alert. Another officer had a bloody hand.

richard.winton@latimes.com

11:07 a.m.: A press conference at LAX is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., according to LAPD