Terminals at Los Angeles International Airport were evacuated briefly late on Sunday, Aug. 28, after reports of gunfire that police later determined were incorrect, in the second recent false alarm at a major US airport. Terminals reopened slowly Monday but the passengers who fled had to be rescreened through security, airport police said.
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Fortunately, the report turned out to be a false alarm, but it caused 281 delays, two cancellations, and 27 flight diversions, according to LAX, which also said that one person was injured from getting trampled.
The airport temporarily shut down the upper and lower levels for arrivals and departures of the central terminal area as part of the investigation. The reports were likely prompted by some other type of loud noise, but as of Monday afternoon investigators had not determined the source of the noise. The man stated he was on the phone calling for transportation from the airport when police told him to get on the ground.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) issued a ground stop Sunday evening, August 28, after an alert about a possible shooter. Reports of gunfire in Terminals 6, 7 and 8 were made about 08:45 p.m, according to Los Angeles Times.
In Los Angeles, a man opened fire and shot people inside the facility in November 2013.
“You can’t always avoid them, and when they occur you need to respond as if it’s a legitimate attack every single time”, said Anthony Roman, who runs a security consulting firm in Lynbrook, New York. People told CNN reporters that travelers rushed through exits into restricted areas.
LAPD Commanding Officer of Media relations Andy Neiman tweeted that loud noises in one of the terminals was mistakenly thought to be gunfire. But in another freaky addition to the brouhaha, L.A.’s airport police confirmed that a man dressed in a Zorro costume and carrying a plastic sword was briefly detained (which perhaps is an “only in L.A.” detail that sets the two incidents apart). Traffic congestion continued for several hours around the Central Terminal Area, where no vehicles could access the terminal.
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The costumed man could be heard on the video of the incident saying he was there to pick someone up.
