July 5, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Authorities Attempt to Discover What Caused LAX Panic

Authorities today were still trying to figure out today what originally set off the panic at Los Angeles International Airport that was fueled by false reports of gunfire.

Thanks to the chaos of Sunday night’s scare, 27 flights were diverted to other airports, said LAX police Officer Robert Pedregon.

Three people were taken to a hospital Sunday night for examination of minor injuries apparently caused by surging crowds as people rushed to evacuate terminals, Pedregon said. Terminals 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8 were affected, Pedregon said.

According to LAX Public Relations Director Nancy Castles, 281 flights were delayed — 120 arrivals and 161 departures. Two flights were canceled, she said.

Pedregon said today that it was unclear what caused the sounds that people said they heard in Terminal 8 and that led to the false reports of gunfire.

Authorities have interviewed witnesses but have formed no theory as to what it was that the people heard, Pedregon said.

Just prior to the report of gunfire, police detained a man in Terminal 7 dressed as Zorro, wearing all black with a mask, and who was carrying what turned out to be a plastic sword.

The man told officers that he works for tips posing for photos with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard, and claimed he was meeting someone at the airport. He was released after questioning, and is not believed to have been involved in the reports of gunfire, Pedregon said.

During the incident, airport staff used audio and visual messages to keep passengers apprised of flights and delays, Castles said. Concessions stayed open past closing time to serve passengers on delayed or diverted flights.

Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection agents continued past the end of their shifts to screen passengers whose departure was delayed and those arriving for delayed flights.

Airport terminals were evacuated and roadways into the airport were shut down, causing gridlock on area streets.

Officers and teams with bomb-detecting dogs searched the terminal area but found no indication of an active shooter.

Throughout the event, the public and passengers were kept informed of developments, and a new wireless emergency alert system passed information to cell phone customers within five miles of the airport, LAX police Chief Dave Maggard said.

“We are grateful it was not actually an active shooter,” he said.

Following an intense search of the areas, an “all-clear” was issued about 9:50 p.m., but a logjam of vehicles and people stranded by the evacuations brought airport operations to a crawl.

All passengers needed to be re-screened through airport security before returning to the terminal, authorities said

Departure and arrival roadways into the Central Terminal Area reopened about 10:50 p.m. Sunday, LAX officials said.

The scare affected air traffic nationwide, as flights in and out of LAX from airports across the country were re-routed or canceled.

 

Light Pylons at LAX

Related Posts

Michael Madsen, Star of Reservoir Dogs and Kill Bill, Dies at 67 in Malibu

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Actor Remembered for His Intense Performances and as a Poet  Actor Michael Madsen, known for his distinctive gravelly voice and...

Los Angeles City Council Cracks Down on ‘Disaster Tours’ in Pacific Palisades

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

City Council Bans Commercial Bus Tours in Burn Zone Amid Community Backlash Tour buses that have been operating in fire-ravaged...

Tow Truck Scammers Target Crash Victims Across L.A.: Authorities Warn of Fraud at Accident Scenes

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officials Urge Drivers to Stay Alert After Collisions as Rogue Operators Demand Inflated Fees  Motorists involved in vehicle accidents are...

Woman Dies After Melrose Store Altercation: LAPD Launches Homicide Investigation

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Critically Injured Young Woman Died July 2, After She was Badly Beaten at Work  The death of a woman critically...

CHP Officer Dies in Culver City Crash: Medical Emergency Suspected Behind Tragic Incident

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

Officer lost consciousness while transporting a suspect before crashing into a tree California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Cano died early...

L.A. Beaches Brace for Holiday Rush: Over 1 Million Visitors Expected This Fourth of July

July 4, 2025

July 4, 2025

County Officials Urge Beachgoers to Pack Out Their Trash and  Monitor Water Quality More than one million visitors are expected...

(Video) A visit to New York Bagel & Deli in Santa Monica

July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025

Authentic NY Style Bagels with Extra Creamy Cream Cheese and Multi-Cultural Desserts. Located at 2216 Wilshire Blvd. A visit to...

Hot Dogs & Rosé: Something About Her and The Culver Hotel Roll Out Summer Specials

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Westside Venues to Serve Playful Bites and Seasonal Sips For the Holiday Weekend A bold new offering is making its...

NeueHouse Hosts Bold One-Night Dinner With Culinary Phenomenon Diego Argoti

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Acclaimed Chef Brings Culinary Mischief With a Five-Course Tasting Experience. NeueHouse Hollywood will host an exclusive, one-night-only dining event on...

(Video) Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Go To Homefrontbuild.com For More Information @home_front_build Legacy, Reimagined: Architecture, Design & Construction by Home Front Build Los Angeles Go...

405 Crash Near the Getty Sends Three to Hospital: Two Seriously Hurt Near Site Where LAPD Sgt. Died

July 2, 2025

July 2, 2025

Early Morning Multi-Vehicle Collision Shut Down Lanes Near Brentwood Three men were injured and traffic was snarled for hours following...

(Video) Jikoni, the AfriCali PopUp from celebrated cookbook author Kiano Moju Has Been Extended Until July 3 at Citizen Public Market

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Bold Flavors and Spice Merge with Crisp, Chewy Chapati. Delicious With a Caring Chef and Staff. Jikoni, the AfriCali PopUp...

Pentagon Orders Troop Drawdown in LA: 150 National Guard Members Reassigned to Wildfire Duty

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Federal Forces Begin Partial Withdrawal From Protest Response as California Leaders Push Back U.S. Northern Command announced Tuesday that 150...

California Highway Patrol Deploys for Independence Day Enforcement Surge

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

All Available Officers to Hit California Highways for Holiday Weekend As Californians gear up for Fourth of July festivities, the...

Court Postpones Arraignment for Driver in Malibu Crash That Killed Four Students

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Fraser Michael Bohm Faces Murder Charges in Fatal PCH Wreck  The arraignment for Fraser Michael Bohm, the 23-year-old man accused...