– TSA Employee Killed LAX Shooting, Flights Delayed

LOS ANGELES (AP Nov 1, 2013) – A Transportation Security Administration employee was killed in Friday’s shooting at Los Angeles International Airport.

     A spokesman for a government employees’ union confirms that the officer was killed.

     Authorities say a gunman armed with a semi-automatic rifle opened fire near a security checkpoint at the airport.

     The chief of airport police says a lone shooter approached a TSA agent who was checking passenger documents and began shooting.

     Police say the suspect, who was apparently injured following an exchange of gunfire with officers, is in custody.

The airport shooting in Los Angeles sent travelers scrambling for safety.

     Some who had already cleared security rushed onto the tarmac, while others were locked down in restaurants and lounges.

     Air traffic controllers reported seeing passengers spilling from the terminal onto the tarmac, “getting out as fast as they could,” according to one controller.

     One witness says he heard “about a dozen gunshots” from inside a security gate at the terminal.

      Thousands of fliers are delayed Friday after a shooting at Los Angeles International Airport closed parts of the airport for hours.

     Flights heading for Los Angeles, which had not yet taken off, were held at their gates by the Federal Aviation Administration. Others in the air – including three JetBlue flights from the East Coast – diverted to other airports.

     Travelers hoping fly out were unable to reach Los Angeles airport because of road closures.

     Los Angles is a major gateway for flights to Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The shooting occurred just before a large bank of flights arrived from Sydney, Tokyo, Beijing and other cities across the Pacific Ocean. Domestically, the largest cities served are: San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, San Jose, Calif., San Diego and Phoenix.