The man believed to have carried out a gun attack at Los Angeles International Airport could be facing the death penalty if convicted of the charges against him.
Paul Ciancia, 23, has been charged with murder of a federal agent, violence at an international airport and multiple other charges. He remains hospitalized after being shot in the mouth and legs by police.
LAX has reopened fully after the investigation on-site was completed.
Police reported that the gunman did not initially kill 39-year-old TSA agent Gerardo Hernandez, the first TSA agent killed in the line of duty. Ciancia had wounded Hernandez before shooting at other agents then returned to kill the fallen agent.
The FBI says Ciancia carried a handwritten note stating he made the conscious decision to kill TSA employees to “instill fear into their traitorous minds.”
He pushed through screening gates and was 100 yards into the secure area before law enforcement reached him and he opened fire near a food court.
A gunman with an assault rifle opened fire in a crowded terminal at Los Angeles International Airport Friday, killing a TSA employee and injuring at least six before being wounded and taken into custody.
Late Friday, the shooting suspect was identified by Associated Press, citing law enforcement officials, as Paul Ciancia, 23.
The shooting incident, which sent passengers in the airport scrambling for cover, disrupted flights nationwide as planes headed for Los Angeles were temporarily grounded.
“The situation at LAX is very fluid,” the FAA said in a statement. “There is currently a ground stop for flights that are scheduled to depart for LAX. This means those flights are temporarily being held at their departure airports. Arrivals and departures are still occurring, and some flights may be diverted. The FAA is closely monitoring the situation and making adjustments to arrival and departure flows as needed. Passengers should contact their airline to determine the status of their flight.”
Source: FOX News – TSA employee dead, at least 6 injured in LAX shooting; gunman wounded and in custody, officials say
