UPDATE:
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A gunman armed with a semi-automatic rifle opened fire at the Los Angeles airport Friday, wounding a Transportation Security Administration employee and two others.
The attack frightened passengers across the bustling airport and disrupted flights nationwide.
LAPD Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger said the TSA employee was injured and transported to the hospital.
Paysinger says the suspect was armed with a semi-automatic rifle. He was apparently also injured when he exchanged gunfire, though it’s unclear what his condition is.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shots were fired Friday at Los Angeles International Airport, prompting authorities to evacuate a terminal and stop flights headed for the city from taking off from other airports.
Gunshots were reported at Terminal 3 just around 9:30 a.m., the FBI said.
There was no immediate word of any injuries, but television images showed two people being wheeled away by firefighters. Triage stations also were seen.
Witness Brian Keech told The Associated Press he heard “about a dozen gunshots” from inside a security gate at the terminal, which has been evacuated.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a “ground stop” was in affect for all flights heading to Los Angeles, meaning planes in any other airport in the country can’t take off for the city.
Other travelers described a chaotic scene as airport security staff evacuated terminals and rushed them outside to the tarmac. Hundreds of people remained gathered outside next to airplanes as authorities investigated what happened.
“People started saying there’s a shooter, there’s a shooter,” said Natalie Morin, a senior at USC who was heading to San Francisco for a graduate school interview.
Emergency crews responded to a multi-patient incident, Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.
Terminal 3 is home to Virgin America and other airlines.
