Shooting at L.A. Airport.

[thumbs2_ca]

- As I am at work does anyone know more about this?

- Multiple victim shooting at Los Angeles International Airport passenger terminal. Two dead, including the suspect, who was shot by El Al security.

 

[DannyBoyUK]

Cue some dork from the gun lobby to tell us how important it is to preserve the right to bear arms.....

 

[thumbs2_ca]

Hmmmm

Thanks dannyboy that give me lots of information

 

[DannyBoyUK]

At least two people, including an unidentified gunman, have been shot dead at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), American officials have said.
A number of people have also been wounded, reports say.



At approximately 1130 (1830 GMT) we received a 911 call of a shooting at [Tom] Bradley [International] terminal, in the area of El Al airlines

LA Police Department Lieutenant Horace Frank
The shooting took place near the ticket office of the Israeli airline El Al, at the Tom Bradley International Terminal.


News of the shooting came as US cities were on high alert for possible attacks as Americans celebrate Independence Day.

The airport terminal has been closed as ambulances and police cars arrived at the scene to take away victims.

"We were at the Korean air terminal, we were upstairs when the shooting broke out," passenger Thad Weimlein told KCBS TV network.


"There were probably eight to 10 shots, people were running and screaming, hitting the floor," he said.

The BBC's David Willis who is at the airport said many people there were in tears after the shooting.

The airport was very busy as people prepared to travel across the US on Independence Day, he said.

The White House Office of Homeland Security is monitoring more than 2,000 celebratory events throughout the country.

Military jets are patrolling the skies above key cities while thousands of extra police, while troops and FBI agents have been deployed across the country.

 

[DannyBoyUK]

That better ?

(it is off the BBC homepage)

 

[thumbs2_ca]

Yes

Thanks a bunch. it is appreciated.

 

[DannyBoyUK]

No probs, mate

 

[fgarvb1]

I'll do it!

I notice it was in a place were honest citizens are not allowed to Carry firearms.

 

[rider]

At near the same time....

A small plane crashes into a crowd of people at a theme park in San Dimas, CA. No details on either one, yet. Hang on, people. It could get bumpy. My thoughts are with the injured and dead. Hopefully more information will come out soon.

 

[Dillinger]

[A victim is removed from Los Angeles International Airport.]
A victim is removed from Los Angeles International Airport.
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LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A gunman opened fire Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport near the ticket counter of Israel's El Al Airlines, officials said, killing a person at the counter before being killed by an airline security guard.

At least two others were wounded in the attack, which occurred about 11:30 a.m. (2:30 p.m. EDT) Another person suffered stab wounds, but it was unclear who carried out the act, authorities said. Los Angeles police spokesman Alex Baez said police were investigating the possibility that another attacker was involved.

A sixth person was transported to the hospital after complaining of heart problems from witnessing the event.

LAPD Lt. Horace Frank said two people were being questioned by investigators in connection with the incident, and a "massive investigation" was under way.

"We don't know a motive," he said.

"At this time, there's no reason to believe the incident is terrorist-related," Frank added. But information was still sketchy Thursday afternoon, and the investigation is still in its earliest stages, he said.

The Tom Bradley International Terminal -- which is a separate building from the domestic terminals -- was shut down, LAPD spokesman Alex Baez said. Everyone inside was evacuated: Thousands of people were seen streaming out of the terminal, and traffic was stopped outside.

Police cars, ambulances and fire engines lined the road. FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said air traffic for domestic flights at the airport continued to operate normally.

Frank said the first reports said a suspect opened fire on an individual near the El Al counter. The suspect in turn was killed by El Al security personnel, but other "innocent bystanders" were shot and some were seriously wounded.

El Al is the Israeli national carrier. It is known for its strict security measures. In the Bradley terminal, its ticket counter is in one of two banks of counters for a number of international airlines.

Thad Weimlein, who was checking into his flight on Korean Air, heard an initial barrage of between eight and 10 shots, before it paused. Then the firing resumed, he said.

"People were running and screaming and hitting the floor," Weimlein said. "There were a number of plainclothes policemen who pulled out their guns and badges at the same time."

After it was over, officers asked everyone in the area of the international ticket counters to file outside, he said.

In December 1985 at the El Al airport ticket counter in Rome, terrorists threw grenades and opened fire with semi-automatic weapons, killing 17 people and wounding more than 100.

The last shooting at a U.S. airport was in May when a Pensacola, Florida, man opened fire at a ticket counter at the main airport in New Orleans, killing one person and wounding another.

Authorities said Patrick Gott, a Muslim man who was charged in the shooting, told them he opened fire because people had made fun of his turban at a restaurant shortly before he went to the airport.
http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2002/US/07/04/la.airport.shooting/story.lax.victim.jpg

 

[tigerjen]

Just found out about it.......logged on AOL and read the
story on their newswire.........shit.....it had to happen on
the 4th of July! And I thought that security was
supposed to be heightened esp. at major airports!


tigerjen

 

[lisalove]

It probably is tj, that's why 2 people were killed rather than 20 or 200 etc..

 

[mistressastra]

Security has been tightened but its when one gets to the gates, right? Not at the ticket counters.

 

[SexyChele]

Just found out the gunman was an Egyptian citizen, residing in Orange County. He had been listed on the FBI's "watch list". (Whatever the hell that means - they obviously weren't watching him very closely) It is unconfirmed at this time, but believed he had no identiying documentation on his person. It is confirmed, however, that he had carried both .45 and 9mm handguns into the terminal. He also had an 8" knife on him as well. It is as yet undetermined what his motivation to open fire might have been.

Killed in the crossfire, was a 46 year old father of 8 (with his wife expecting their 9th child), who was dropping a friend off at the airport. Also killed was a 20 year old female who was a groundsperson working for the airport. There are 4 wounded, including one person who suffered stab wounds from an as yet unknown source. And a woman who was taken to the hospital when she complained of chest pains.


About an hour after the LAX incident, a Cessna 310 took off from a Los Angeles area airport (small municipal field). He immediately started to radio a number of distress calls to the tower. Right next to the airfield is a large park (not a theme park), with a good sized lake. It appeared the pilot tried to aim for the water, but the plane bounced from the water and skidded onto land, ending up in the middle of picnic area. As yet, 4 are dead: the pilot and co-pilot, a 12 year old girl who was trapped under the plane when it ended up in the picnic area, and her 15 month old sibling who was in her arms. Critically wounded is the girl's younger brother. Several other people were injured. It is suspected the pilot had mechanical problems, and is not related to terrorist activity.

 

[Siren]

 

[Saint Peter]

What about the poor souls in the parking lot?
Or at 7-11 getting smokes for the trip?

 

[Siren]

 

[Shaq]

That is why we need the metal detectors at the entrance to the airports termials and not just inside the airports on the way to the gates.

That may slow down the travel process significantly...