Mass evacuations as 'active shooter' suspected in LAX
Police authorities have begun mass evacuations at LAX airport in Los Angeles, California, after the presence of at least one 'active shooter' was reported. It is yet unclear exactly where the shooting is taking place, however reports suggest that at least one shooter is active at Terminal 8. Several calls were also received about disturbances in Terminals 1, 6 and 7.
Have there been any casualties?
So far there have been no reports of any casualties or injuries. Passengers have reportedly barricaded themselves in bathrooms in Terminal 6. Several pictures and videos posted on social media shows passengers lying flat on the floor as police officers walk by. The airport has been closed until further notice, and it is unclear whether authorities located any suspect so far.
News sources say "Airport is clear"
Several news reports have indicated that the operation was a false alarm and that authorities had begun rounding up passengers and attempting to restart operations at the airport. However these reports could not be confirmed. The reports of shooting came from 2 separate 911 calls.
JFK shooting scare turns out to be false
A similar scare happened just 2 weeks ago at New York's JFK International Airport. After shutting down the airport and grounding several flights authorities were unable to confirm the presence of any shooter. There were also no injuries or casualties and authorities had to give the go-ahead for the airport to resume business as usual. It is unclear whether this is linked to LAX.
Police, Fire Department appeal for calm
The LAPD in a statement said "Police searching LAX after reports. All precautions being taken to ensure safety of public. Remain calm. Thank you for your cooperation." The Fire Department was more direct, saying "no significant incident" had been noted at the scene.
