LOS ANGELES - Gunfire erupted Thursday at the ticket counter of Israel's El Al airlines ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport, killing two people, police said.
The shooting occurred at midday after a gunman approached someone at the Tom Bradley International Terminal and opened fire, police said. One of the two killed was the gunman, said Alex Baez, a police spokesman. After the shooting, much of the airport was closed off and thousands of people were evacuated. Details of the shooting were sketchy but at least five ambulances were at the airport, where planes continued to land and take off soon after the incident. Thad Weimlein was standing at the Korean Airlines counter, in the same ticketing area as El Al. He said eight to 10 shots were fired. "People were running and screaming, hitting the floor," he said. He saw plainclothes policemen pulling out their guns and badges at the same time. He describes an initial flurry of fire, followed by silence then more gunfire. "There were a lot of shots fired, a flurry. Then there was silence. Then there were some more shots," he said. "A lot of people were hoping it was fireworks, a prank." Four people were reportedly transferred to local hospitals. No other details about the two were immediately available. xponent Fouth Of July Maru rob
