Terminal 3 at the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was evacuated on Friday morning. Early reports said there were gunshots and shooting victims. Two victims were reportedly shot and one person has died, according to CBS LA.
One reporter, Frank Buckley with KTLA, said that there was a man with a gun on the roof of the airport. Another eyewitness said that the man had an assault rifle.
She says the suspect also exchanged fire with airport police. The airport was being swept for precautionary measures and the bomb unit was on scene.
Airport staff evacuated travelers and flights were disrupted nationwide.
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 toLos Angeles, meaning planes in any other airport in the country can’t take off for the city, although some flights already in the air were allowed to land.
LAX air traffic controller Michael Foote said some flights were still being allowed to depart.
Foote said his colleagues in the control tower saw passengers spilling from the terminal onto the tarmac, “evacuating the building, getting out as fast as they could.” Officers eventually corralled them.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
