Reports of an 'active shooter' at LA airport unfounded, officials say

Panic spreads through Los Angeles terminal, but police say no victims, gunmen or bullets found

Reports of shots fired at the Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday night were unfounded, police said.

Though social media users and local news outlets reported there was an “active shooter” in the airport, police and firefighters investigated the claims and could not find evidence of a gunfire.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, there had been “no significant incident noted thus far.”

The panic appears to have originated from a “loud noise” heard in the terminals hall, police said.

Airport officials said that a person wearing a Zorro costume was detained during the incident, but it wasn’t yet clear whether the person had any connection to the evacuation.

Police arrest a man in a Zorro costume outside the Los Angeles International Airport on August 28, 2016. (Screen capture: Twitter)

As a precaution, police shut down the incoming traffic to the airport and evacuated the central terminal area, and travelers could be seen exiting the building both toward the street and onto the tarmac, some of them leaving their luggage behind.

https://twitter.com/LaJornadaBC/status/770136884215484416/video/1

Passenger Scott McDonald said he was getting off a plane in the middle of the incident and was told by the crew to get back on. He said looking out the window he could see many evacuees gathered out on the tarmac, a strange sight even for someone who travels almost constantly.

“I’ve never seen passengers, just normal people, on the tarmac anywhere in the United States,” McDonald told the local KCAL-TV station.

No one appears to have been injured in the panic following the false alarm.

At this point, no confirmation of shooting can be verified. @LAAirportPD working to confirm reports.

— LAX Airport (@flyLAXairport) August 29, 2016

According to local media reports, there was significant traffic in the surrounding streets due to the panic.

Earlier this month, a similar situation took place in New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport where false reports of a shots fired sparked panic and resulted in the terminal being temporarily closed down.

Our @nbcla newsdesk has confirmed no shots fired at #LAX. Scene is "all clear."

— Adrian Arambulo (@AdrianNBCLA) August 29, 2016

Police evacuated Terminal 8 as a precaution after receiving reports of shots fired near the departures area around 9:30 p.m. local time on August 14.

The New York Police Department and Port Authority police said they had not found any firearms, rounds of ammunition, shell casings or other evidence of gunfire.