A suspect has been taken into custody after several people have been wounded by gunfire at Los Angeles International Airport, officials have said.
The Transportation Security Administration confirmed one of its employees had been shot.
Emergency vehicles and heavily armed police are on the scene and have established a triage area. Officers were searching the terminals.
Passengers have evacuated the airport, some onto the tarmac.
A suspect has been taken into custody after several people have been wounded by gunfire at Los Angeles International Airport
LA Police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman told reporters a suspect had been arrested after opening fire inside Terminal 3.
Norma Eisenman said multiple people were wounded. Their condition is not currently known.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has barred all flights landing at the airport, and outbound flights have been delayed.
The incident was initially reported after 9:30 local time.
The LA Fire Department said it was assisting police at a “multi-patient incident”.
Witness Brian Keech, told the Associated Press news agency he heard “about a dozen gunshots” from inside the security gate at Terminal 3.
The White House confirmed President Barack Obama had been briefed on the incident.
Authorities are scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:30 PST.
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New reports claim that Kanye West may face a felony attempted robbery charge stemming from his Los Angeles airport altercation on Friday with a photographer.
Kanye West, 36, charged a paparazzo who was peppering him with questions upon his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on Friday.
The photographer was taken to a hospital following the assault and told authorities that he wants to press charges against Kanye West, TMZ reports.
Police officers will refer the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a felony attempted robbery rather than the lesser charge of battery, according to the website.
The case has been transferred to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division for investigation as police suspect Kanye West committed an attempted robbery when he struck the photographer and tried to take his camera. Prosecutors will ultimately decide which charges will be filed, if any.
Kanye West may face a felony attempted robbery charge stemming from his Los Angeles airport altercation with a photographer
Kanye West was surrounded by about five paparazzi who captured the incident and the singer left with his bodyguard in their car.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Airport Police said in a statement to X17online: “Today at approximately 2:00 p.m., at the Tom Bradley International Terminal [on the arrival level curbside], Los Angeles Airport Police officers were flagged down by a citizen [photographer] who alleged that he was taking pictures of an individual when he was battered by the subject.”
“The alleged subject was not at the location nor was he observed by officers at the scene.”
The statement added: “LAFD was notified, responded to the location and transported the victim to a local hospital for medical attention. A police report was taken by the Los Angeles Police Department and the investigation is ongoing.”
Kanye West has made no secret of his contempt for photographers and just last week he went on a furious rant while at the same airport after a snapper complimented his music.
“Don’t talk, don’t talk to me,” he said in the outburst while grabbing the camera.
However, Kanye West appears to be completely oblivious to the fact that his girlfriend and mother of his child, Kim Kardashian is a reality star who has made her name through constantly being photographed and followed by cameras.
Kim Kardashian, 32, and her family have allowed camera crews into their homes since their show Keeping Up With The Kardashians became a hit in 2007 following her tape scandal.
Since then, all members of the family have relied on reality television to acquire fame, actively seeking out press and publicity to enhance their careers.
However, it seems that Kanye West has had trouble adjusting to the lifestyle.
Sadly for the Kardashians, Kanye West’s violent outburst took place on the same day that Kim Kardashian’s mother Kris Jenner insisted that the rapper does not have a temper.
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