At about 9:00 PM local time, Los Angeles International Airport was in chaos as shots were reported. The LAX Police went into action, emptying at least two terminals, one onto the tarmac. Twitter lit up almost immediately as people hid in confusion.
One person took a picture of the tarmac with evacuated passengers gathered:
Hundreds evacuating onto runway currently at #LAX pic.twitter.com/SUKgMPtreB
— Ross Greenberg (@Rossegreenberg) August 29, 2016
JP Mangalindan, a finance reporter with Yahoo, thought that the shooting originated in the baggage area:
Shots allegedly originated at baggage claim. Cops sweeping and clearing terminals. Bags abandoned and strewn in corridors
— JP Mangalindan (@JPManga) August 29, 2016
Empty bags lining corridor at LAX pic.twitter.com/6ICkXxOvR6
— JP Mangalindan (@JPManga) August 29, 2016
LAX Police did a remarkable job keeping everyone calm. They responded very fast, as one person noted:
Police working hard to keep us safe #lax fastest response I could have imagined pic.twitter.com/xkec8cWn52
— Kenny Stavert (@TheRedBari) August 29, 2016
The FAA responded by closing the airport to all incoming and outgoing flights. This has, of course, backed up air traffic. But better safe than sorry is the thinking. Some flights were re-routed:
FAA: Ground stop issued at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) until the top of the hour. pic.twitter.com/AMm9cSOEC0
— ABC News (@ABC) August 29, 2016
Authority at #lax says they have a shooter in one of their terminals. Police responding. No flights leaving pic.twitter.com/vASkaCXsJK
— Craig Reck (@CraigReckNews) August 29, 2016
Police: Los Angeles International Airport is closed to incoming traffic because of reports of an active shooter https://t.co/RZrunu4GlE #LAX
— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) August 29, 2016
Can't land at #lax. Impromptu Vegas trip 🙀👀
— Lina Chen (@nixhydralina) August 29, 2016
The people managed to evacuate in an almost orderly fashion, many following TSA agents to safety.
So this is what happens when someone screams "SHOOTER" at #LAX - panic and abandoned everything 😕😰 pic.twitter.com/c7TrX4SS0m
— Andrea Sper (@Andreafsper) August 29, 2016
Just ran for my life at #lax people screaming "active shooter". Followed TSA personnel to safety
— Ross Greenberg (@Rossegreenberg) August 29, 2016
After a thorough search, no shooter was found. But LAX Police did find this guy:
[Live Update] New video shows police arresting a man wearing a Zorro costume with a sword at #LAX Airport.pic.twitter.com/Se5G31Bu6e
— Brendan Grainger (@S118869) August 29, 2016
By 9:45 local time, the all-clear was given:
Confirmed: No shooting occurred at LAX. Only loud noises that apparently triggered a scare. #LAX #LAXShooting https://t.co/aO3WqCjd2P
— Arlene Osoria (@arleneceli) August 29, 2016
UPDATE: Thankful everyone is safe #LAX #12News https://t.co/3pfSdNLYTd
— Evan Rosenfeld (@Evan_Rosenfeld) August 29, 2016
People had to go through security again, but nobody was harmed and all systems worked as they should. It was a successful “drill,” maybe?
Dry runs? - to see how police/airport staff respond to active shooters at U.S. airports. #JFK and now #LAX https://t.co/EdvpJZmBOw
— Abigail (@wise_dvm) August 29, 2016
And someone managed to even make a joke:
They caught Zorro, but if you see Harry Potter at #LAX, please notify TSA or airport police. pic.twitter.com/gKvQeHTDVR
— Frank Ojeda (@UclaDodgerFrank) August 29, 2016
So, no. There turned out to be no shooter. It was a false alarm. This time. But, in light of a similar event earlier this month in JFK airport, it’s a wonder someone wasn’t trampled to death.
What does this say about America that something like this feels almost normal?
Featured Image via Ross Greenberg on Twitter