It is believed that the reports happened because of a loud noise, according to the Associated Press. Many other evacuees are standing on the airport tarmac.
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Before the panic began, police detained a Zorro-costumed individual in Terminal 7 around 8:40 p.m. Sunday, the airport said in a statement. The man was detained, questioned and released. Someone yelled that he had a sword, which turned out to be wooden. He said a man nearby dressed in a Zorro outfit was temporarily handcuffed by officers.
Traffic congestion is seen near the LAX sign, as terminals at Los Angeles International Airport were evacuated briefly late on Sunday following a false alarm, in Los Angeles, California, US, June 28, 2016.
“We are grateful it was not actually an active shooter”, he said.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) issued a ground stop Sunday evening, August 28, after an alert about a possible shooter.
Video showed people sprinting out of the airport terminals. People told CNN reporters that travelers rushed through exits into restricted areas.
The sword was plastic, but soon after, hundreds of passengers raced onto streets or the tarmac, causing major flight delays that the airport was still recovering from Monday morning.
Investigators Monday were still trying to figure out what led to Sunday’s false shooting report at LAX. Security said “shots fired”.
Los Angeles police spokesman Andy Neiman said the evacuation was sparked by nothing more than ‘loud noises’. The airport said it requested a ground stop of flights from the Federal Aviation Administration on the south runway complex because of passengers who ran onto the airfield.
Traffic congestion continued for several hours around the Central Terminal Area, where no vehicles could access the terminal.
The Los Angeles scare created a mess, with three terminals shut down, roads closed and flights held in the air and on the ground, but no one was hurt.
Authorities said that Terminals 1, 2, 3, 5 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal were cleared by Los Angeles Airport Police and passengers were allowed to return. A false report of a shooter in the airport made police evacuated the area floor by floor to confirm later the shots, and the shooter was a false alarm.
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According to LAWA, word of a possible shooter spread quickly through LAX terminals.
