In the moments before reports of gunshots spread panic at Los Angeles International Airport, police with weapons drawn had confronted a masked man outside a terminal who was carrying a plastic sword and dressed like Zorro.
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A review of surveillance video revealed that no shots were fired and the ground stop was lifted by 9:30 p.m. Security said ‘shots fired.
LAX is considered as one of the three busiest airports in the United States.
All terminals have been cleared and passengers are proceeding through federal security screening in all terminals, Los Angeles airport tweeted in the early hours of Monday. About 280 flights were delayed, and at least 27 planes were diverted to other airports.
Airport police are investigating the cause of a “loud sound” that may have been mistaken for gunfire, they said. “Run!'” NBC Nightly News television anchor Lester Holt said on Twitter.
Police described how panicked passengers then started posting about the airport shooter scare on Twitter and other social media sites.
Before the panic began, police detained a Zorro-costumed individual in Terminal 7 around 8:40 p.m. Sunday (11:40 p.m. ET), the airport said in a statement.
30 minutes in the incident sources tell eTN, it was all about some loud noises. She said terminals would reopen to passengers once they were deemed safe.
It marked the second time in two weeks that false reports of a gunman ended up shutting down a major US airport – check out what happened at JFK – with people on the scene fueling further chaos by tweeting false information. Twelve of those flights diverted to Ontario International Airport.
Throughout the event, the public and passengers were kept informed of developments, and a new wireless emergency alert system passed information to cell phone customers within five miles of the airport, Maggard said.
A similar hysteria-apparently triggered by the noise of passengers applauding Usain Bolt’s Olympics victory in the 100 meters-developed on August 14 at New York’s JFK airport. None of the flight arriving at the airport were canceled, according to CNN.
The central terminal area also remained closed to incoming traffic.
Police found no connection between the call and the man in the costume.
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Police from the Port Authority of NY and New Jersey evacuated the terminal to be cautious, spokesman Joe Pentangelo said.
