Suspect shot, in custody at LAX after TSA agent fired upon, killed

The gunfire sent travelers into a stampede, passengers said.

A total of 10 shots were fired, and two people — the gunman and the Transportation Security Administration agent — were wounded and taken to local hospitals, an intelligence source told CNN. Their conditions weren’t immediately available.

It was unclear in the immediate aftermath whether there were other suspects.

The gunman approached a checkpoint at Terminal 3 at 9:30 a.m. and began shooting at the TSA agent, according to the former LAPD officer who was at the scene.

The gunfire and the airport’s announcement of the incident provoked chaos among travelers on a busy morning, passengers said.

One of the busiest airports in the world was rendered a ghost town: The violence prompted evacuations of portions of LAX and led to a “ground stop” for arriving planes, said police and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Robert Perez, who was getting ready to take a Virgin Air flight, was taking a nap in the terminal when pandemonium erupted, he told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS.

“I heard a popping sound, and everybody was diving for cover,” Perez told the station. “The TSA said there was a shooting in the terminal and evacuate the building.”

At least 100 people came down a staircase. “Everybody started to panic,” Perez said.

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