Reports of a man with a gun at Los Angeles International Airport sent about 300 travelers fleeing from Terminal 1 onto the airfield Thursday evening, resulting in confusion and a temporary ground stop for flights – as well as minor injuries to at least two people trying to evacuate. At least one traveler required hospitalization.
The confusion began when two men started arguing in the terminal and one of the men was shouting about a gun, a KNBC-TV reporter in Los Angeles tweeted, saying both men were initially detained and one released. The second man was being held for a psychiatric evaluation.
At 7:50 p.m. PT airport officials said police had confirmed there was "no threat and no active shooter" at LAX and that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was continuing to hold traffic on the ground. Flights resumed soon after.
No shots were fired and no weapon was found, the airport said in a statement shortly before midnight.
The incident happened one day after an American Airlines flight bound for nearby John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, was diverted to Denver after a passenger allegedly assaulted a flight attendant while the plane was in the air. The suspect was arrested after the flight safely landed in Denver.
Unruly behavior by passengers and travelers has become a serious concern for the airline industry.
Waiting on the tarmac
On Thursday, FOX 11 Los Angeles' SkyFOX helicopter captured photos and video of passengers waiting on the tarmac before being allowed back inside the terminal.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provided additional agents to Terminal 1 to help move people back inside, the airport said, adding that the travelers had voluntarily evacuated and weren't prompted by officials.
Around 8:30 p.m. PT, LAX tweeted that the FAA had reopened the south side of the airfield to flights but was keeping the north side closed until further notice.
Some people thought they heard a gunshot but airport officials said there was no evidence that a shot was fired, Andrew Blankstein of NBC wrote on Twitter.
The airport tweeted earlier that it was aware of "police activity" near Terminal 1.