LAX shooting: TSA employee shot at Terminal 3

[flamingdem]

Someone with a rifle got past security and opened fire.

This happened at 9:20

Suspect purportedly shot.

Can't we get through a week without this kind of incident?

Live coverage via KTLA Los Angeles:

http://ktla.com/live/#axzz2jPfyxQYl

[SomethingFishy]

1. How do you get a rifle past security at LAX?

This doesn't make sense...

[flamingdem]

2. It would have to be intentional, not like you forgot you brought a rifle!

They're saying it was at or beyond the security checkpoint.

[randome]

3. By running very fast?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Beaverhausen]

7. TSA agents are the security at LAX

[SomethingFishy]

16. Yeah and there is a buttload of them.. this isn't some podunk airport

I travel all the time and all the major international airports are well covered. You can't "slip" a rifle through and a cray person running with one would get tackled. I can't see anyone getting a loaded rifle past the security checkpoint. This had to happen either before the checkpoint or the rifle was already on the other side.


And if I'm wrong then we might as well finally chuck all this bullshit security theater.

[Beaverhausen]

21. this happened at the security checkpoint where the TSA agents are. Didn't slip past them.

[SomethingFishy]

25. Weird, the reports I'm reading now are saying it was actually in the terminal..

I hate this breaking news crap.. You never know whats accurate..

I did see pics of them evacuating people to the tarmac which makes it look like it was in the terminal..

Ugh I'm just going to wait for the full story..

[randome]

28. Always best to wait for the full story.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Beaverhausen]

31. Very good idea

but I really can't imagine it got past them. I was just through that terminal 2 weeks ago.

[randome]

36. Sounds like there were two in on it (unusual for a public shooting) so maybe...

...they had a plan. But the details will come when they come.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[flamingdem]

47. I recalled lower on the thread that the Santa Monica College shooting

was thought to be 2 people at first.

That's because they detain suspects. This one was a Japanese hipster SMC student dressed all in black, wrong place wrong time, same height as the shooter and also wearing black.

[randome]

50. I know. That wasn't long ago, either.

Shootings happen frequently enough now that one tragedy bleeds into another. It's depressing.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[sabrina 1]

33. I went through LAX a few months ago and I agree. But you can get anything

INTO the airport before you go through the Security Check. Which is why I always questioned the 'security' aspect of all these checkpoints. Ordinary people are not going to do this kind of thing. But someone determined to cause havoc, could easily do so in the Airport itself.

[Nay]

38. My guess? The shooter is an employee or contractor somewhere in the

airport and knew all the holes in security.

[kestrel91316]

82. Shot the security people at the security checkpoint and ran on through.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. I thought guns made everything safer.

Now where did I hear that?

[flamingdem]

5. 2 gunshot victims, male, headed to area hospitals

1 TSA agent possibly shot.

[bunnies]

13. ktla just reported 4 vitims, one a tsa agent.

Awful.

[KY5]

6. 3 DEAD, per FBI

Reuters U.S. News @ReutersUS

Three dead in shooting at #LAX airport, says Fox News citing FBI; officials confirm incident at Terminal 3; give no further details

[flamingdem]

8. Oh no!

Terrible then

[warrior1]

9. see my op

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023960622

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Another just put in an ambulance. nt

[randome]

12. The TSA agent is probably one of the victims, per above.

Maybe the shooter wanted his yogurt back?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[Beaverhausen]

14. this may have happened at the security checkpoint

we don't know where it happened yet, do we?

sorry I have a friend who is a TSA agent there so I'm a little freaked.

[brer cat]

23. I hope your friend is safe, Beaverhausen. nt

[geek tragedy]

18. TSA agents just got shot probably trying to stop him from entering with the rifle.

TSA agents are government employees doing a frankly unpleasant job, and these people died doing their duty to protect others.

[flamingdem]

24. I wonder if it was aimed at the TSA

because the shooter knew he'd be stopped there..

If the goal was suicide by cop - plus taking others down - a trend these days for the emotionally unstable - then he selected well.

There are plenty of weapons and officers around airports.

If this person wanted mayhem they achieved that. If they wanted to get through security it seems to make no difference because there are people to kill outside of security too.

Thus, I am thinking he was mad at TSA about something or was attempting suicide by cop

[geek tragedy]

26. If you think TSA is unpopular here, the militia/Ron Paul types HATE the TSA.

Unionized government workers who take away their guns at airports.

[Lifelong Dem]

15. The nation averages 87 gun deaths each day

Can't we get through a week without this kind of incident?


Maybe we should wish for a day without this kind of incident first.

[flamingdem]

19. Good point. This one was done to get media attention

so it seems. Or maybe the motive really was about the TSA and a previous incident.

People don't know how to manage their anger and CANNOT manage gun ownership, which is legal, even assault weapons. Isn't that grand.

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Woman on a stretcher just placed in an ambulance. nt

[flamingdem]

20. So far no confirmed reports of deaths

Fox was reporting 3 dead via the FBI but I couldn't find that anywhere else.

[BumRushDaShow]

22. Announcing "situation has ended" per feds

They were showing a triage area that had been set up too.

[pinboy3niner]

27. Local CBS affiliate reporting 2 suspects in custody. nt

[maddezmom]

29. OMG

Let's hope there aren't anymore but there still is so much police activity.

[flamingdem]

32. Lapd does excel in this sort of situation

A bit of overkill but then again initial reports were that the shooter was on the loose.

[randome]

39. If you don't have anything useful to add to the tragedy, why speak up?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[KY5]

46. Sorry.

Failed attempt at a joke.

I can be stupid in anxious situations.

[randome]

49. S'okay if you're sorry.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[zappaman]

45. Welcome to DU!

Enjoy your stay!

[flamingdem]

30. Two? Wonder if one of them is a maybe

because that happened with the Santa Monica College shooting incident too.

A Japanese hipster dressed all in black was picked up by the police because the shooter was also wearing black and around the same height, same location.

Otherwise.. militia!?

[pinboy3niner]

40. They're reporting that both were armed

Of course, all these initial reports are "maybe." They're reporting that the first suspect apprehended was wounded in the leg.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. Shuttles brought in to move evacuated people. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

37. They apparently evacuated Terminal 1 too.

Being shuttled elsewhere (Southwest Air).

[Cleita]

41. So I don't remember if law enforcement have weapons in the terminals,

but if they do it could explain how guns got into the terminal. It would then be a matter of someone knowing who has them or where they are kept.

[MineralMan]

53. Yes, they certainly do. LAX is thick with security staff.

Not all TSA people are armed, but the LA cops are there, along with other armed security.

[pinboy3niner]

42. Mayor and LAPD Chief now arriving at the airport. nt

[flamingdem]

43. Can't believe the number of uniforms and suits of

every stripe on the tele. Doesn't feel like a biggie in terms of LA criminal history though. No Star involved, where is TMZ now?

[flamingdem]

44. Eyewitness: gunman walking slowly through airport

this on tele now and gives us an idea of the mayhem that must have happened when word got out.

Expect new rules going forward, showing ticket at door?

[KY5]

48. "Are you TSA?"

The McKenzie Report @McKenzieReport

EYEWITNESS on @ABCNewsRadio: Shooter asked someone "Are you TSA?" and spared them when they answered no. #LAX

[flamingdem]

51. I'm suspicious this was an anti-TSA attack

as said above the gun nuts like to attack TSA, they're union and take guns away.

[KY5]

57. That's why people must be careful.

The demonization of the TSA in the media and on the Internet can motivate situations like this.

As Jane Harman said today on Andrea Mitchell's show, they are under-appreciated and a crucial line of defense.

[flamingdem]

61. I'm a bit guilty of that because I think they're heavy handed

and I refuse to go through the xray machines.

Thus, I know their routine, they ignore me. However, I always leave enough time to get the
pat down and stay cool.

The last time they were nice and I can tell they're working on improving their image.

This was at the LAX Jetblue terminal. My problems were worst at the Bradley Terminal (International)
where an attempt was made to steal my laptop, in my opinion, and at the American Terminal

[Blue_Tires]

60. It could maybe be a disgruntled employee?

I know it's really early to speculate...

[pinboy3niner]

71. CBS now has second report that it was an "internal dispute"

Still unconfirmed. They are still checking an earlier report that the shooter was an off-duty RSA employee.

[ChangeUp106]

52. Just horrible

Thoughts are with those affected. Don't even want to think about the conspiracy/anti-TSA/pro-gun people getting on their soapbox.

[pinboy3niner]

54. Mayor, Chief to hold news conference approx. 11:30am Pacific. nt

[flamingdem]

58. Garcetti's first big incident

I'm guessing that the conference will be televised. LA doesn't really know the new mayor well yet.

[AndyA]

55. So sad--how many more? How many is it going to take before enough is enough?

Every life lost leaves a hole in a family, a group of friends, a work place.

I'd just like to know what the number is. The grand total. Will more children make something happen faster? Would 100 children killed in a mass shooting be enough? 200? Because it's obvious something else must be done besides what we're doing.

More guns isn't the answer. It's ridiculous to think that could possibly help. We didn't deal with drunk driving by suggesting everyone drink and drive more. We don't deal with any public safety issue by saying more of whatever will help.

How many, America? What's the grand total?

My sympathies to all the victims and their families and friends. This MUST stop!

[flamingdem]

56. Confirmed one TSA employeed killed

Not much more is confirmed at this point.

[BumRushDaShow]

59. Apparently reported by Pete Williams

and 1 TSA wounded.

Press Conference @ 11:30 am PDT (2:30 pm EDT).

[pinboy3niner]

62. CBS affiliate has unconfirmed report that shooter may be an off-duty TSA employee. nt

[flamingdem]

63. An eyewitness said it was a 20 ish male with short blond hair

First person who said they saw the shooter.

[bullwinkle428]

64. One suspect in custody, per AP news radio report.

[HipChick]

65. I was just at LAX Terminal 5 last night..

[flamingdem]

66. Good timing you had

not to be there today!

The whole area has become a parking lot.

If you are driving do you know about LA Sigalert?

Good way to check for traffic jams.

http://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?region=Greater+Los+Angeles#lat=33.98417&lon=-118.22335&z=2

[HipChick]

70. I took the red-eye from LAX back to DC

Nice to know about those sigalert

[flamingdem]

73. Oh, I thought you were still here

How was your trip? Sorry that it was so chilly those days!

[bullwinkle428]

67. Charlie Pierce just got off the plane at LAX! (Terminal 7)

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/

[flamingdem]

68. We should be getting some interesting commentary from him

he asks:

So is this another Teachable Moment about this country's insane attrachment to its firearms?


Well let's hope TMZ covers it so the populace takes note!!

[pinboy3niner]

75. Don't worry--one of the Jonas Brothers is now tweeting about it

No kidding. It was just reported that he was on one of the planes landing at LAX and tweeted about his plane being held up and not allowed o approach the gate.

[flamingdem]

77. OK. Now it's a major LA incident

Stars involved!

[tularetom]

69. cnn coverage is really lame

But it's all I can get here.

Hard to believe how far CNN has sunk over the past twenty years.

And there can't be a worse news reader anywhere in the free world than wolf blitzer.

[Keefer]

72. The suspect...

is a former TSA agent.

[flamingdem]

74. Figures

Remember when it was only Postal employees?

Those were the old days when this kind of incident was unusual.

[pinboy3niner]

76. News conference about to start. nt

[flamingdem]

78. Chief Gannon saying it was an assault rifle

yikes

[pinboy3niner]

79. They're not giving # of gunshot casualties, just "multiple people shot"

Plus "some other injuries." Now reporting 7 people treated, 6 of them transported. Nature of injuries not specified.

[Sheepshank]

80. Freepers figured this is also "Obama's Fault"

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3086438/posts?q=1&;page=1

"Wag the dog, much, Obama? Need a nice distraction from your Obamacare disaster?"

"I bet it was an Obamaoperative"

"Which implies Obama and his minions are orchestrating it. "

[treestar]

83. lol

[flamingdem]

81. Shooter's name released, not TSA employee, anti-government views

were mentioned, source not mentioned, something online?

paul anthony ciancia