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Gunman Opens Fire at LAX; One Victim Reported Dead

Nov 1, 2013  •  Post A Comment

A gunman opened fire today at Los Angeles International Airport, reportedly killing one man — a TSA officer, according to some reports — and wounding a number of people, the Los Angeles Times reports. Conflicting reports surfaced about the fate of the gunman, with early reports indicating he had been killed and later updates saying he had been taken into custody.

"A federal law enforcement official said that the gunman was a ticketed passenger entering the airport," the Times reports. "Officials don’t believe the gunman has ever worked for TSA. Law enforcement sources had earlier told The Times the gunman was a TSA employee."

According to early reports, seven people were treated for injuries by L.A. Fire Department personnel, with six victims transported to area hospitals.

The shooting took place around 9:20 a.m. PT, shutting down much of the airport. The suspect reportedly pulled a rifle out of a bag and opened fire in a number of locations. The shooting was believed to be the work of a lone shooter.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said just before noon PT that people should stay away from LAX, including those with flights scheduled for this afternoon. At that time new passengers were not being allowed into the airport.

The FBI commented just after noon, saying: "We do not see any threats" at the airport.

LAPD officials would not discuss the injuries or other details, saying the case is being handled by the FBI.

LAX said some flights were being diverted to Ontario Airport, and indicated significant flight delays could be expected.

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